Molecular Basis of Hair Follicle Donor Dominance in Androgenetic Alopecia and Sexual Dimorphism of the Skin

    April 2017 in “ Journal of Investigative Dermatology ”
    Y. Doucet, Hasan E. Abaci, Colin A.B. Jahoda, J. C. Chen, Angela M. Christiano
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    Studysummary This study identified five master regulators that mediate molecular differences in hair follicle development and sexual dimorphism in the skin, providing insights into male pattern baldness and hair follicle donor dominance. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
    The study aimed to understand the differences in hair loss patterns between males and females and the susceptibility to androgens in certain regions of the scalp. The researchers identified 5 master regulators that mediate molecular differences in skin scalp samples by gender. The study found that some of the top 10 genes differentially expressed in sex-segregated cohorts are associated with mesenchymal components differentiation, suggesting inherent differences in the skin. The authors also found that JAK-STAT signaling promotes hair growth and that inhibiting this pathway can rapidly initiate anagen.
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