Hair Follicular Expression of Integrin Alpha-6 Subunit and p63 in Hair Loss

The study, conducted 15 years ago, investigated the role of integrin alpha-6 and p63 in various conditions of hair loss by examining their expressions in 76 scalp biopsy samples. These samples included 21 cases of male pattern hair loss (MPHL), 19 of female pattern hair loss (FPHL), 23 of alopecia areata (AA), and 13 of female telogen effluvium (TE). The results showed that MPHL and AA had nearly negative immunoreactivities of alpha-6 integrin in the basal sides of follicle epithelium, while TE showed a pattern similar to normal control and FPHL samples showed weak outer root sheath staining. p63 staining in AA and TE was relatively strong compared to MPHL and FPHL. The findings suggested a potential causal and developmental role of integrin alpha-6 and p63 in hair loss, indicating the importance of these proteins in hair follicle growth and maintenance.