Bad Hair Day: Testosterone and Wnt Signaling

The document from 2015 presents a study by Kretzchumar et al. that explores the interaction between androgen receptor (AR) signaling and ß-catenin/Wnt signaling pathways in hair follicles of mice. The study found that AR negatively regulates ß-catenin signaling, which is important for hair growth and cycling. This regulation could explain how androgens promote hair growth during puberty but cause androgenic alopecia later in life. The research used both in vitro and in vivo methods, including transgenic mice and cell cultures, to demonstrate AR's influence on ß-catenin expression and activity. Additionally, the document discusses the broader role of androgens in skin conditions, wound healing, and the importance of fibroblasts and Filamin A in tissue repair. The findings offer new insights into hair and sebaceous gland disorders and suggest that prostaglandins might mediate testosterone's effects on Wnt signaling. The study's implications extend to understanding chronic wound pathophysiology, which is increasingly relevant due to the rising number of diabetic, obese, and elderly individuals.