Impairment of autophagy may be associated with follicular miniaturization in androgenetic alopecia by inducing premature catagen

Abstract

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common form of hair loss disorder. The features of this process are shortening of the anagen phase in hair cycling and progressive miniaturization of the hair follicle. However, the mechanisms in androgenetic alopecia are still unclear, and the treatment methods are also limited. Therefore, further study on the pathogenesis and new therapies for androgenetic alopecia are urgently needed. In this study, we found that endogenous autophagy was severely impaired, accompanied by increased apoptosis in early catagen‐like miniaturized hair follicles from the balding scalps of androgenetic alopecia patients. Moreover, inhibition of autophagy using 3‐methyladenine could induce apoptosis, premature hair follicle regression and slow down the hair growth in organ‐cultured hair follicles. Taken together, these results suggest that impairment of autophagy could be a potential mechanism in androgenetic alopecia.

Treatment of androgenetic alopecia by exosomes secreted from hair papilla cells and the intervention effect of LTF

“…In contrast, in hair follicle diseases such as AGA, the expression of VEGF is significantly reduced and even disappears from the scalp of patients with alopecia areata. VEGF can induce the proliferation, migration, or induce the formation of perifollicular vessels in DPCs, regulate the cyclic cycle of the hair follicle, and promote hair growth 28 ; and high expression of VEGF can significantly reduce DHT‐induced apoptosis 29 . During the degenerative phase of the hair follicle, degenerative apoptosis produced by the cells is activated by factors such as caspase drive Cell death‐associated proteins inhibit the proliferation of dermal papilla cells, leading to premature maturation of the hair follicle and further hair loss 30 .…”

Cell Therapy for Androgenetic Alopecia: Elixir or Trick?

“…Furthermore, it has been suggested that obesity is not only a risk factor for hair loss, but may synergize with repetitive hair cycles or aging-induced changes that significantly inhibit HFSC self-renewal [ 43 ]. Inhibition of autophagy with 3-methyladenine induces apoptosis, premature follicular regression and slows hair growth in organ culture follicles, so autophagic damage may be a potential mechanism for androgenetic alopecia [ 44 ]. A study that recruited 1,000 healthy men between the ages of 20 and 35 and developed a customised questionnaire to determine basic physical and smoking habits found that the prevalence of AGA was higher among smokers than non-smokers, and that the severity of AGA was not related to smoking intensity[ 45 ].…”

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Interaction in Hair Regeneration and Skin Wound Healing

“…Dermal papilla numbers are stable during HF cycles but drastically decrease in patients with androgenetic alopecia ( 11 ). Maintenance of the quantity and function of DP cells is required for healthy hair.…”