April 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” This study utilized computational approaches to screen natural compounds targeting a non-androgen pathway involving PIEZO1 and MLCK for treating androgenetic alopecia, identifying several potential candidates for further validation but making no clinical claims.
April 2026 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” This in silico study identified potential natural product compounds targeting a non-androgen pathway for promoting hair growth, but further laboratory validation is necessary before any clinical claims can be made.
February 2026 in “Nature Communications” This study combined spatial and single-cell transcriptomics to identify that hypercontractility of the connective tissue sheath activates PIEZO1 in hair follicles, leading to miniaturization in male androgenetic alopecia, and found that inhibiting this contraction improves hair growth in models.
December 2023 in “bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” This study found that targeting connective tissue sheath contraction with an MLCK inhibitor may improve hair growth in androgenetic alopecia by reducing premature hair regression caused by ectopic apoptosis of hair follicle progenitor cells.
October 2024 in “Journal of the Endocrine Society” In this retrospective study, among transfeminine patients aged 19-81 receiving gender-affirming estrogen therapy, 100% achieved testosterone suppression without anti-androgens when serum estradiol exceeded 100pg/mL, predominantly using injectable estrogen.