Protein Profiling of Forehead Epidermal Corneocytes Distinguishes Frontal Fibrosing From Androgenetic Alopecia

March 2023 in “ PLOS ONE ”

Noreen Karim, Paradi Mirmirani, Blythe P Durbin-Johnson, David M Rocke, Michelle Salemi, Brett S Phinney, Robert H. Rice

frontal fibrosing alopecia androgenetic alopecia forehead epidermal corneocytes protein expression non-invasive monitoring FFA AGA

TLDR Protein profiling of forehead skin can help distinguish between frontal fibrosing alopecia and androgenetic alopecia.

The study investigated protein expression in forehead epidermal corneocytes to distinguish between frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) and androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Samples from 5 FFA patients, 5 AGA patients, and 12 controls revealed that FFA had 72 proteins significantly different from controls, with most showing lower expression, while AGA had only 3 proteins significantly different. This suggests FFA affects protein expression systemically, beyond the scalp. The findings support non-invasive monitoring of FFA through forehead epidermis protein profiling, indicating a potential for better diagnosis and treatment monitoring.

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