March 201423
Young men with vertex pattern hair loss had stiffer arteries than those without, a finding reported as a cardiovascular risk marker. An androgen receptor gene variant in men with prostate disease was linked to worse pattern hair loss and higher PSA levels. Turkish men with pattern hair loss showed lower zinc and copper in hair, though not in serum or urine, alongside higher BMI. Scalp biopsies in pattern hair loss found the arrector pili muscle degenerates and is replaced by fat, which the authors suggested may explain treatment resistance. In mice, oral ginsenoside F2 promoted hair growth beyond finasteride through Wnt pathway activation. Alopecia areata patients were vitamin D deficient in 91% of cases, with lower levels correlating with greater severity.
- Androgenetic alopecia and polymorphism of the androgen receptor gene (SNP rs6152) in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia or prostate cancer In men with prostate disease, an androgen receptor gene variant was associated with worse pattern hair loss and higher PSA levels.
- Vitamin D deficiency in alopecia areata In a cross-sectional study, 91% of alopecia areata patients were vitamin D deficient, with lower levels correlating with greater disease severity.
- BMI and levels of zinc, copper in hair, serum and urine of Turkish male patients with androgenetic alopecia Turkish men with pattern hair loss had lower zinc and copper in hair (not serum or urine) and higher BMI than controls.
- The inductive effect of ginsenoside F2 on hair growth by altering the WNT signal pathway in telogen mouse skin In mice, oral ginsenoside F2 promoted hair growth 20% more than finasteride via Wnt pathway activation.
- Androgenetic alopecia is associated with increased arterial stiffness in asymptomatic young adults Young men with vertex pattern hair loss had stiffer arteries than those without, suggesting a cardiovascular risk marker.
- Destruction of the arrector pili muscle and fat infiltration in androgenic alopecia Scalp biopsies showed the arrector pili muscle degenerates and is replaced by fat in pattern hair loss, possibly explaining treatment resistance.
- Exogenous IGF-1 promotes hair growth by stimulating cell proliferation and down regulating TGF-β1 in C57BL/6 mice in vivo In mice, local IGF-1 injections increased follicle number and prolonged the growth phase by lowering TGF-beta1.
- Leptin controls hair follicle cycling In mice, leptin from dermal papilla cells triggers entry into the hair growth phase, suggesting a possible future target.
- Serum Level of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) in Egyptians With Alopecia Areata and Its Relation to the Clinical Severity of the Disease Serum MIF levels were elevated in 31 alopecia areata patients and correlated with disease severity and duration.
- Beneficial Effects of Astragaloside IV for Hair Loss via Inhibition of Fas/Fas L-Mediated Apoptotic Signaling In mice, topical Astragaloside IV reduced follicle cell death by blocking Fas/FasL apoptotic signaling, suggesting a possible hair loss therapy.
- Alopecia induced by tumour necrosis factor-alpha antagonists: description of 52 cases and disproportionality analysis in a nationwide pharmacovigilance database A French pharmacovigilance analysis of 52 cases confirms a class-wide association between TNF-alpha antagonists and alopecia (reporting odds ratio 3.0).
- Advances and Challenges in Hair Restoration of Curly Afrocentric Hair A review outlines surgical considerations for hair restoration in patients with curly Afrocentric hair.
- Human epithelial hair follicle stem cells and their progeny: Current state of knowledge, the widening gap in translational research and future challenges A review summarizes human hair follicle stem cell markers and outlines unresolved challenges for translating mouse findings to humans.
- New ethanol and propylene glycol free gel formulations containing a minoxidil-methyl-β-cyclodextrin complex as promising tools for alopecia treatment Alcohol- and propylene glycol-free minoxidil gel formulations were developed in the lab, with a calcium alginate gel performing best.
- Potential relationship between the canonical Wnt signalling pathway and expression of the vitamin D receptor in alopecia In alopecia areata lesions, reduced vitamin D receptor expression is linked to decreased Wnt/β-catenin signalling that impairs hair follicle cell proliferation.
- Acquired immunogenicity of DNA after modification with malondialdehyde in patients with alopecia areata Malondialdehyde-modified DNA was immunogenic and bound by antibodies from 45% of alopecia areata patients, suggesting a possible autoimmune trigger.
- Hair curvature: a natural dialectic and review A review proposes a multiple papillary centres model to explain how hair bending and twisting produce different hair forms.
- Regenerative Hair Waves in Aging Mice and Extra-Follicular Modulators Follistatin, Dkk1, and Sfrp4 In aging mice, hair growth waves slow and fragment, and follistatin was identified as a modulator that can propagate hair waves.
- Promotive Effect of Topical Ketoconazole, Minoxidil, and Minoxidil with Tretinoin on Hair Growth in Male Mice In mice, topical ketoconazole, minoxidil, and minoxidil plus tretinoin all stimulated hair growth, with minoxidil most effective.
- Androgenic alopecia in women: an Indian perspective. A 35-woman Indian series found mostly mild Ludwig-grade female pattern hair loss, with hormonal workups largely inconclusive.
- HIF‐2α/ARNT complex regulates hair development <i>via</i> induction of p21 <sup>Waf1/Cip1</sup> and p27 <sup>Kip1</sup> In knockout mice, the HIF-2α/ARNT complex was shown to regulate hair follicle differentiation via p21 and p27.
- Lipid nanoparticles for topical and transdermal application for alopecia treatment: development, physicochemical characterization, and in vitro release and penetration studies Lipid nanoparticles carrying minoxidil or finasteride were stable and released drug slowly, though skin penetration was low in vitro.
- Advances in a rapidly emerging field of hair follicle stem cell research. A review summarizes progress in hair follicle stem cell research, including bioengineered follicle regeneration in mice and roles in alopecia and wound repair.