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
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    TLDR Targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway may lead to better treatments for hair loss.
    The article discusses the potential of targeting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway as a novel approach for treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA), beyond the current FDA-approved treatments of minoxidil and finasteride. The authors highlight the increasing prevalence of AGA and the need for more effective therapies. They explore the central role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in regulating the hair follicle cycle and identify key targets such as DKK, Dvl-CXXC5, Axin, and GSK-3β. The paper also examines the structural design and modification of pathway activators, including DKK and GSK-3β inhibitors, using molecular docking analyses to understand structure-activity relationships (SARs). The insights aim to guide future therapeutic development for AGA.
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