Clues About The Causes Of Male Pattern Baldness

In a study published in 2012, researchers found that prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) is associated with the inhibition of hair growth, particularly in men with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The study involved examining gene expression in scalp tissue from five men with AGA and showed higher levels of PGD2 and its producing enzyme in balding areas. Experiments demonstrated that PGD2 inhibited hair growth in both cultured human hair follicles and mice, with the effect mediated by the G-protein-coupled-receptor-44 (GPR44). This receptor is already a target for drugs in clinical trials for other conditions. The research indicates that prostaglandins have varying effects on hair growth, and while it is uncertain if these findings apply to female pattern hair loss or if blocking PGD2 can reverse baldness, the presence of intact hair follicle stem cells in bald skin provides a basis for potential new treatments for hair loss.