COMPOSITION FOR PREVENTING OR AMELIORATING LOSS OF HAIR AND GRAYING OF HAIR, AND USE THEREOF

The present invention provides novel compositions for suppressing or improving hair loss, and compositions for suppressing or improving graying. More specifically, it provides agents that stabilize type XVII collagen expression, preferably agents that suppress the degradation of type XVII collagen by ELANE inhibitors and such, and compositions comprising a DNA repair-promoting agent or a DNA damage-suppressing agent as an active ingredient. Advantageous suppressive effects of hair loss and graying can be obtained when a composition comprising as an active ingredient a suppressive agent of type XVII collagen degradation such as an ELANE inhibitor is administered to a mammal. For the ELANE inhibitors, suppressive agents of type XVII collagen degradation and DNA repair-promoting agents, low-molecular compounds, polypeptides, proteins, antibodies, or nucleic acid medicine such as antisense oligos or siRNAs may be used. A method of screening for effective substances for suppression of hair loss and graying is also provided.