Keratins are fibrous proteins that make up the structural framework for cells such as those composing skin, hair, and fingernails. The keratin 14 gene (KRT 14) directs the making of those proteins. KRT 14 is produced in the epidermis (outer skin layer) where, among other things, it plays a role in the formation of dermaglyphs—fingerprints.
Apoptosis is the controlled/programmed death of body cells. Billions of cells die in the human body every day as part of ordinary processes of growth and regeneration. However, defective processing, fueled by KRT 14, can alter the rate of cell death. Defective processing can result in insufficient apoptosis, leading to uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. Conversely, hyperactive apoptosis can speed the rate of cell death and facilitate development of Naegeli Syndrome, which manifests in, among other things, disappearance of a person’s fingerprints.
Naegeli Syndrome is an inherited genetic disorder passed down from male to male, but not every time. One son among several might inherit the disorder. And, although symptoms may include disorders involving teeth or skin pigmentation, absent fingerprints can be the only symptom to manifest.
All of the above facts appear to be well known to medical science.
PluribusOne™ has witnessed the reality of this rare “vanishing fingerprints” phenomenon and discovered something we have been unable to find in medical research literature available for our scrutiny. Our discovery is that Naegeli Syndrome can occur in tandem with the development of malignant tumors, a factor that may go unnoticed or be deemed irrelevant by doctors, especially if they have not been asked to examine symptoms related to cancer and/or if the individual has not noticed and been alarmed by the disappearance of their fingerprints.
In other words, while defective apoptosis is stripping the hands of fingerprints by increasing the kill-rate of those cells, it can also be increasing the rapidity of tumor growth elsewhere in the body. Therefore, diminishing fingerprints may be a useful marker in making an initial clinical diagnosis where some symptoms of possible malignancy are present. Whereas a Naegeli Syndrome-associated change in skin pigmentation is considered a possible marker for malignancy somewhere in the body, no similar consideration is apparently given to vanishing fingerprints, and in addressing especially aggressive cancers, such as some rare lymphomas, every day makes a difference in winning the race to apply effective therapies. Examining the patient’s palms is a simple additional procedure to add to an in-office examination.
We have reason to believe that defective KRT 14 processing may be triggered by exposure to radioactivity or microwaves, trauma-inducing shifts in atmospheric pressure (decompression sickness), or impact injuries such as those that may be sustained in a high-speed automobile collision.
Our analysis of evidence and its possible potential value is tentative at this time because PluribusOne™ is not qualified to conduct medical research or practice medicine, although we are qualified to work with medical researchers. We hope this will be useful to appropriate parties.
PluribusOne™ 