Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists Stimulate Human Hair Growth Ex Vivo

The study from 2019 found that mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists, particularly eplerenone, can stimulate hair growth in human hair follicles (HFs) treated ex vivo. MR expression in the skin and HF epithelium was shown to be hair cycle-dependent, and eplerenone was observed to promote hair shaft elongation, increase hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation, and delay the catagen phase, suggesting a role for MR signaling in extending the anagen phase of hair growth. The research involved microdissected HFs from four female participants aged 41–66 years, treated over 7 days. The document also discusses the potential of MR antagonists like spironolactone, which has been noted to have location-dependent effects on hair growth, and the need for further research into topical MR ligands, their sex and skin location-dependent effects, and their interaction with other receptors in hair biology. Side effects such as hyperkalemia and breakthrough bleeding with spironolactone were mentioned, indicating that topical applications could be more clinically attractive. The study was supported by the University of Lübeck and the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre and followed ethical guidelines, including informed consent.