Supplementary Material for: Dexamethasone, a Synthetic Glucocorticoid, Induces the Activity of Androgen Receptor in Human Dermal Papilla Cells

The study investigated the effects of dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, on the activity of the androgen receptor (AR) in human dermal papilla (DP) cells. The researchers found that DEX treatment caused the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to move into the nucleus of the cells. They also discovered that DEX increased the expression of AR mRNA in non-balding DP cells, which typically express low levels of AR without androgen. This increase was reduced by RU486, a GR antagonist. Additionally, AR moved into the nucleus following DEX treatment. The study concluded that stress-related hair loss might be due to increased AR expression and activity induced by DEX, even in non-balding scalps with low AR expression.