Molecular Phenotyping of Lichen Planopilaris Revealed Dysregulation of Cholesterol/Fatty Acid Metabolism, Fibrosis, and Mast Cell Pathways
 April 2019   
in “
 Journal of Investigative Dermatology 
”
 
    lichen planopilaris  scarring alopecia  RNAseq  steroid pathways  cholesterol pathways  fatty acid pathways  fibrosis  hypertrophic scarring  mast cell pathways  ABC transporter pathways  LPP  scarring hair loss  RNA sequencing  steroid metabolism  cholesterol metabolism  fat metabolism  mast cells  ABC transporters   
   
   TLDR  Lichen planopilaris involves disrupted fat metabolism, increased scarring, and mast cell activity.   
  In 2019, a study was conducted on 29 subjects with Lichen planopilaris (LPP), a type of scarring alopecia. The study used RNAseq on scalp biopsies to identify molecular pathways associated with LPP. Three major pathways were identified: 1) downregulation of steroid/cholesterol/fatty acid pathways; 2) upregulation of fibrosis and hypertrophic scarring genes; and 3) upregulation of mast cell signatures. These pathways were significantly dysregulated in LPP biopsies. The study also found that these three core pathways were common among other subtypes of scarring alopecias. Additionally, ABC transporter pathways involved in drug uptake and metabolism were strongly associated with LPP, but not with other scarring alopecias. This suggested that therapies targeting these core pathways could be applicable across scarring alopecia patients, and unique pathways like ABC transporters could be targeted for individualized therapies in LPP.