Comparative Study of Some Potential Paracrine Factors Produced by Normal and Androgenetic Alopecia Hair Follicles

The study examined the role of paracrine factors in androgenetic alopecia by comparing gene expression in balding and non-balding hair follicles from three men. It found that balding follicles had reduced expression of keratin and keratin-related protein genes, as well as lower levels of growth factors like IGF-I, SCF, and VEGF, which are usually increased by androgens in larger follicles. In contrast, inhibitory factors such as TGFβ-1, IL-1β, IL-1α, and IL-6 were elevated in balding follicles. These findings suggested that these paracrine factors might contribute to hair follicle miniaturization and hair loss, offering insights for developing treatments for androgen-dependent hair disorders.