The Feasibility of Quantitative Analysis of Androgen Metabolism Using Single Dermal Papillae from Human Hair Follicles

The study explored the feasibility of quantitatively analyzing androgen metabolism by using single dermal papillae (DP) from human hair follicles, particularly in the context of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). It was known that increased 5α‐reductase (5aR) activity in affected hair follicles is crucial in AGA's pathogenesis, with the dermal papilla being the main site of type 2 5aR expression. However, direct measurements of 5aR activity in intact DP of AGA-affected hair follicles had not been reported due to technical challenges. The researchers employed a novel method using freshly isolated DP and a sensitive HPLC-radiomatic flow scintillation system to measure 5aR activity, even in small DPs from miniaturized hair follicles. The findings indicated that DP from the occipital scalp exhibited significant 5aR activity ex vivo, but there was considerable variability in enzyme activities among individual DP. Consequently, relying on only one or two DP was not deemed a reliable method for analyzing 5aR activity ex vivo.