Exploring Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Miniaturized Hair Follicles: Insights Into Androgenetic Alopecia

This study investigates mitochondrial dysfunction in miniaturized hair follicles associated with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). By analyzing follicles from the vertex and occipital regions of AGA patients using bulk RNA sequencing and single-cell transcriptomics, researchers found elevated mitochondrial activity and abnormalities in miniaturized follicles, particularly in dermal papilla cells (DPCs). These abnormalities include disrupted membrane structures, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The study also observed impaired aerobic glycolysis in miniaturized follicles, suggesting that reduced glycolysis leads to compensatory mitochondrial respiration, causing structural and functional mitochondrial damage in AGA. This research is the first to use high-throughput transcriptomics and mitochondrial staining to identify distinct mitochondrial phenotypes in miniaturized follicles.