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

The research conducted by Kyungpook National University, Republic of Korea, discovered that dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, stimulates the activity of androgen receptors in human dermal papilla cells. This suggests a potential connection between glucocorticoids and androgen-related hair loss conditions like androgenetic alopecia. The study found that dexamethasone treatment causes the glucocorticoid receptor to move into the nucleus of dermal papilla cells and increases the expression of androgen receptor mRNA in non-balding dermal papilla cells. This implies that stress-related hair loss could be due to increased androgen receptor expression and activity induced by dexamethasone. However, the specific mechanisms and implications of this interaction need more research.