Predominant Expression of 5 Alpha-Reductase Type 1 in Pubic Skin from Normal Subjects and Hirsute Patients

    May 1996 in “ ˜The œJournal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism ”
    Chidi Mestayer, Isabelle Berthaut, M. C. Portois, Françoise Wright, Frédérique Kuttenn, Irène Mowszowicz, P Mauvais-Jarvis
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    TLDR The main enzyme found in pubic skin that could be targeted to treat excessive hair growth is 5 alpha-R2.
    The study from 1996 investigated the expression of two isoforms of the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase (5 alpha-R), which is responsible for converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), in genital and pubic skin fibroblasts from normal men, normal women, and hirsute patients. Using Northern blot and RT-PCR techniques, the researchers found that both 5 alpha-R1 and 5 alpha-R2 messenger ribonucleic acids are expressed in these tissues. However, specific inhibitor studies revealed that 5 alpha-R2 is the predominant isoform in pubic skin across all groups. This finding suggests the potential for using specific 5 alpha-R1 inhibitors as a treatment for idiopathic hirsutism.
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