People with red hair and pale skin they have a risk significantly more likely to suffer from melanomathe most aggressive skin cancer. This is because pheomelanin, the characteristic reddish pigmentdoes not protect them against ultraviolet radiation in the same way as eumelanin, the brown or black pigment.
A team of Spanish researchers from National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC) has discovered that pheomelanin It is not a “failure” of the sun protection system of the organism, since it hides a physiological function until now unknown.
This pigment is responsible for protecting the body against to oxidation by consuming excess cysteinean amino acid that, in large quantities, it is toxic to cells. Cysteine is necessary for life, as it is essential for protein synthesis, but its accumulation, for example, through diet, can cause massive oxidative stressdamaging DNA and accelerating tissue aging.
This is where the discovery of Ismael Galván, Marina García-Guerra and Marta Araujo-Roque becomes especially relevant.. In a recent study published in PNAS Nexus, Researchers have shown that people’s bodies Redheads use pheomelanin production as a “safety store.”
Get rid of toxicity
In this way, the excess cysteine is transformed in an inert pigment for hair or skin, which allows the body to rid itself of its toxicity. In other words, the body sequesters a potentially harmful substance and converts it into color.
The authors point out that “these findings represent the first experimental demonstration of a physiological function of pheomelanin: avoiding the toxicity of excess cysteine.
Related news
It should be noted that the gene responsible for red haira variant of the MC1R, is very old and was inherited directly from Neanderthals.
Your opinions matter! Comment on the articles and subscribe for free to our newsletter and to the information alerts in the App or the channel WhatsApp. Looking to license content? click here
