Impaired Arginine Metabolism in Hair Follicles: A Potential Mechanism in Androgenetic Alopecia

The study "Impaired Arginine Metabolism in Hair Follicles: A Potential Mechanism in Androgenetic Alopecia" found a significant decrease in serum abundance of arginine in patients with Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA), a common hair loss disorder. The researchers observed impaired arginine metabolism in the hair follicles of these patients, indicated by increased expression of ARG1, an enzyme regulating arginine-ornithine transition, and decreased expression of the arginine transporter SLC7A1. The study also showed that arginine deficiency hinders hair growth by antagonizing the mTOR signaling pathway. However, administering arginine effectively protected against hair growth inhibition in an AGA-like mouse model and in balding hair follicles from AGA patients. This suggests that arginine supplementation could be a potential treatment strategy for AGA.