Prostanoids and Hair Follicles: Implications for Therapy of Hair Disorders
January 2018
in “
Acta dermato-venereologica
”
TLDR Prostanoids, like prostaglandins and thromboxane A2, can both enhance and inhibit hair growth, and understanding their effects could help treat hair disorders.
The paper "Prostanoids and Hair Follicles: Implications for Therapy of Hair Disorders" by Xu and Chen from 2017 reviewed the role of prostanoids, including prostaglandins (PGs) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2), in regulating hair growth. The authors highlighted that the PGF2α analogue, approved by the FDA, is used to enhance human eyelash growth. PGE2 was reported to protect against radiation-induced hair loss in mice. However, PGD2 was found to inhibit hair growth. The paper emphasized the potential clinical relevance of understanding the metabolism of prostanoids and the expression pattern of prostanoid receptors in hair follicles for the treatment and prevention of hair disorders.
