Targeting Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway for Developing Therapies for Hair Loss

July 2020 in “ International Journal of Molecular Sciences ”

Bu Young Choi

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway hair follicle regeneration minoxidil finasteride tocotrienol Prunus mira nut oil TGF-β signaling pathway natural products hair loss therapies Rogaine Propecia

From the encyclopedia

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Finasteride →

Frontline, gold standard treatment for combatting androgenic alopecia

Studysummary This review discusses the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in hair follicle regeneration and highlights recent progress in developing hair loss treatments targeting this pathway, but reports no new clinical results.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The document reviewed the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway's role in hair growth and its potential as a target for developing hair loss therapies. It emphasized that current treatments like minoxidil and finasteride have limited efficacy and side effects. The pathway is crucial for hair follicle regeneration, and activating it has shown promise in promoting hair growth. Plant-derived chemicals, such as tocotrienol and Prunus mira nut oil, have been effective in animal models. The document also noted that genes downregulated in balding scalp areas are associated with the Wnt and TGF-β signaling pathways. It mentioned several natural products that could be potential hair loss treatments due to their ability to activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. However, it stressed the need for large-scale human clinical trials to confirm the safety and efficacy of these potential therapies. The research had no external funding and no conflicts of interest were declared.

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