Role of Androgen in Mesenchymal Epithelial Interactions in Human Hair Follicle
August 2005
in “
Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings
”
TLDR Androgens promote beard growth but cause hair loss in androgenetic alopecia, with TGF-β1 as a potential treatment target.
The study investigated the role of androgens in human hair follicle growth, particularly in mesenchymal-epithelial interactions, and their dual effects on hair growth. It was found that dermal papilla cells (DPC) in beard and frontal scalp areas acted as androgen target cells, expressing androgen receptors and type II 5α reductase. Androgens stimulated keratinocyte proliferation in beard DPC, suggesting the production of androgen-dependent growth factors. However, in androgenetic alopecia (AGA), androgens inhibited keratinocyte growth through TGF-β1 from DPC, indicating a paracrine mechanism. The study highlighted the paradoxical role of androgens in promoting beard growth while contributing to hair loss in AGA and suggested that targeting TGF-β1 could be a potential treatment for AGA.
