Change in Hair Growth-Related Gene Expression Profile in Human Isolated Hair Follicles Induced by 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors – Dutasteride and Finasteride – in the Presence of Testosterone

This study investigated the effects of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5ARIs), specifically dutasteride and finasteride, on gene expression related to hair growth in human hair follicles from five male donors. It found that both type I and type II 5AR were expressed in the follicles, and that DHT and testosterone generally decreased the expression of key hair growth factors (FGF7, IGF1, WNT5a). The addition of 5ARIs showed a trend of re-increasing these gene expressions, with dutasteride having a slightly more consistent effect. The study concluded that while dutasteride and finasteride were effective in modulating hair growth-related gene expression, further development was needed to improve consistency and specificity, and future studies with larger sample sizes and more precise measurements were recommended.