Ar/miR-221/IGF-1 Pathway Mediates the Pathogenesis of Androgenetic Alopecia

The study "Ar/miR-221/IGF-1 Pathway Mediates the Pathogenesis of Androgenetic Alopecia" involved 23 male patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and 5 healthy male controls. The research found that dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the main cause of AGA, binds to the androgen receptor (AR) and triggers the transcription of genes responsible for AGA. The study discovered that AR predominantly expressed in dermal papilla cells (DPCs) and dermal sheath cells (DSCs) in hair follicles directly promotes the transcription of miR-221, which significantly suppresses hair growth and proliferation of DPCs and DSCs. The miR-221 directly targets IGF-1 to inactivate the MAPK pathway and PI3K/AKT pathway in DPCs and DSCs. The study suggests that miR-221 is a novel biomarker and/or therapeutic target for AGA.