New Target for Minoxidil in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

The study "New Target for Minoxidil in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia" used network pharmacology and experimental validation to investigate the effects of minoxidil on Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA). The researchers identified 878 human genes involved in the mechanism of minoxidil treatment of AGA, with proteins mainly located in the focal adhesion, cell-substrate junction, membrane raft, and membrane microdomain. Minoxidil was found to significantly reduce the expression of the AR gene, potentially slowing the inflammatory process of AGA, and lower CYP17A1 gene transcript and protein levels, while increasing CYP19A1 gene transcript levels. This suggests that minoxidil may act by inhibiting AR to reduce androgen sensitivity and regulate hormone-producing related enzymes, providing new directions for drug research in hair loss treatment.