Low-Dose Metformin and Profibrotic Signature in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

September 2024 in “ JAMA Dermatology ”

Aaron Bao, Aasheen Qadri, Arun K. Gadre, Elizabeth Will, David Collins, Rexford S. Ahima, Lindsey Bordone, Crystal Aguh

metformin central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia CCCA keratinization hair cycle fibrosis inflammation transcriptomic analysis

TLDR Low-dose metformin may help hair regrowth and reduce inflammation in CCCA.

In a case series involving 12 Black female patients with treatment-refractory central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), low-dose oral metformin (500 mg daily) led to clinical improvement in 9 patients and hair regrowth in 6 patients after 6 months. Transcriptomic analysis of scalp biopsies from 4 patients showed upregulation of hair growth pathways and downregulation of fibrotic pathways. These results suggest that metformin may reverse the fibrotic transcriptional signature in CCCA and promote hair regrowth, indicating its potential as a targeted therapy for this scarring alopecia.

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Variant PADI3 in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

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Low-Dose Metformin and Profibrotic Signature in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

Cited in this study

research Clinical Factors and Hair Care Practices Influencing Outcomes in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

research Alopecia in Patients with Collagen VI-Related Myopathies: A Novel Unrecognized Scalp Phenotype

research Topical Treatment for Scarring and Non-Scarring Alopecia: An Overview of the Current Evidence

research Alopecia in Harlequin Mutant Mice Is Associated with Reduced AIF Protein Levels and Expression of Retroviral Elements

research Alopecia Areata Susceptibility Variant in MHC Region Impacts Expressions of Genes Contributing to Hair Keratinization and Is Involved in Hair Loss

research Hair Regrowth in Two Patients with Recalcitrant Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia After Use of Topical Metformin

research Variant PADI3 in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

research Fibroproliferative Genes Are Preferentially Expressed in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

research Lack of Collagen VI Promotes Wound-Induced Hair Growth

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