Prostaglandin D2 Inhibits Hair Growth and Is Elevated in Bald Scalp of Men with Androgenetic Alopecia
January 2016
in “
Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature
”
TLDR A substance called prostaglandin D2 is found more in bald scalps and it stops hair from growing. Blocking its receptor could potentially treat hair loss.
In 2016, Garza LA and colleagues conducted a study that identified prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) as a key player in the pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia (AGA), a common form of hair loss. The researchers compared gene expression profiles between AGA-affected and non-affected scalp samples and found increased expression of prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS) in balding scalp. They also found that the synthase product prostaglandin D2 (PDG2) and the non-enzymatic 15-deoxy-delta 12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) were overexpressed in balding scalp compared to non-balding controls. In addition, they observed that an increase in PTGDS followed by an increase in PGD2 level was associated with the regression phase of hair follicles in mice. Transgenic mice overexpressing PGD2 in the skin exhibited hair loss resembling AGA histology, suggesting a key role of PGD2 in AGA pathogenesis. The hair growth inhibition of PGD2 was cancelled in the absence of its receptor, GPR44, indicating that blocking GPR44 may be a promising strategy for the treatment of AGA.
