Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway Targeting Androgenetic Alopecia: How Far Can We Go Beyond Minoxidil and Finasteride?

September 2025 in “ Journal of Medicinal Chemistry ”

Jia Zhi, Mei‐Ling Feng, Xilong Feng, Xiaotian Niu, Wenchao Chen, Xiaoying Jiang, Renren Bai

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway androgenetic alopecia minoxidil finasteride DKK Dvl-CXXC5 Axin GSK-3β hair follicle regulation pathway activators molecular docking analyses structure-activity relationships Rogaine Propecia

TLDR Targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway may lead to better treatments for hair loss.

The document discusses the potential of targeting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway for developing new treatments for androgenetic alopecia (AGA), as current FDA-approved treatments, minoxidil and finasteride, are insufficient. It highlights the pathway's crucial role in hair follicle regulation and explores key targets like DKK, Dvl-CXXC5, Axin, and GSK-3β. The paper also examines the design and modification of pathway activators, such as DKK and GSK-3β inhibitors, using molecular docking analyses to understand structure-activity relationships (SARs). These insights aim to guide future therapeutic development for AGA.

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