Hairless expression attenuates apoptosis in a mouse model and the COS cell line; involvement of p53.

Neurons are more likely to die through apoptosis in the immature brain after injury whereas adult neurons in the mature brain die by necrosis. Several studies have suggested that this maturational change in the mechanism of cell death is regulated, in part, by thyroid hormone. We examined the involvement of the hairless (Hr) gene which has been suspected of having a role in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis in the hair follicle and is strongly regulated by the thyroid hormone in the brain.