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While many gene expression studies have focused on male pattern baldness (MPB), few studies have investigated the genetic differences between bald and non-bald hair follicles in female pattern hair loss (FPHL). This study aimed to identify molecular biomarkers associated with FPHL through genetic analysis of paired bald and non-bald hair follicles from 18 FPHL patients, using next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. RNA transcriptome analysis was performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between bald and non-bald hair follicles in FPHL. The DEGs were validated using real-time PCR, and protein expression was confirmed through immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Our findings suggest that HOXB13, SFRP2, PTGDS, CXCR3, SFRP4, SOD3, and DCN are significantly upregulated in bald hair follicles compared to non-bald hair follicles in FPHL. SFRP2 and PTGDS were found to be consistently highly expressed in bald hair follicles in all 18 samples. Additionally, elevated protein levels of SFRP2 and PTGDS were confirmed through western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. Our study identified SFRP2 and PTGDS as potential biomarkers for FPHL and suggests that they may play a role in inducing hair loss in this condition. These findings provide a foundation for further research on the pathogenesis of FPHL and potential therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hair growth, a complex process, has long been the subject of intense research. Recent developments in material technology have revealed boehmite as a new therapeutic modality for use in wound healing and scar reduction, indicating its beneficial effects. Nonetheless, the biological bases of the beneficial effects of boehmite remain unknown. We investigated the hair growth properties of boehmite in vitro and in vivo and observed dose‐dependent proliferation of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) in vitro and hair regrowth in a mouse model. To investigate the effects of boehmite on the promotion of cell transition to the anagen phase, we evaluated hDPC viability, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, protein expression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion in vitro and assessed the anagen‐promoting effects of boehmite via gross observation and histological analysis in a mouse model. Boehmite increased hDPC viability, ALP activity, AKT/GSK3ß/ß‐catenin pathway activity, anagen‐related gene expression and VEGF secretion; moreover, it accelerated hair regrowth in a catagen‐anagen transition model via upregulation of β‐catenin signalling and follicular cell proliferation. Collectively, our results indicate that boehmite accelerates hair growth, partly via its effects on critical events in the active phase of the hair follicle cycle, including the promotion of the proliferation of hDPCs and their immediate progeny to the follicle base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Androgenic alopecia is a hair loss disease mediated by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and is currently treated using minoxidil, finasteride, or low-level laser therapy. However, these treatments have side-effects, indicating the need for an alternative treatment. In the present study, it was demonstrated that inaudible sound at 30 kHz significantly induced proliferative and anti-apoptotic effects in human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) and outer root sheath keratinocytes. Cell viability assay, ELISA, reverse transcription quantitative PCR and TUNEL assays were performed to evaluate the effect of inaudible sound. Inaudible sound was also demonstrated to significantly inhibit the hair loss signals induced by DHT treatment in hDPCs. Furthermore, inaudible sound significantly induced hair follicle (HF) elongation and hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation in human HF organ culture. Overall, the results suggested that inaudible sound may be effective in treating hair loss and could be used to develop a new hair loss treatment approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 38-year-old man who had developed hair transplantation-induced trichorrhexis nodosa. The man had demonstrated Norwood-Hamilton Class IVa male pattern baldness during hair transplantation in 2008. Histopathological test of scalp biopsy revealed a fibrous tract around the transplanted follicle. The article discusses how trichorrhexis nodosa develops and the causes of it.

The present study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of quercitrin, a major constituent of Hottuynia cordata extract, for its hair growth stimulating activities in cultured human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs). Quercitrin enhanced the cell viability and cellular energy metabolism in cultured hDPCs by stimulating the production of NAD(P)H and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ). The expression of Bcl2, an essential marker for anagen hair follicle and cell survival, was increased by quercitrin treatment. Quercitrin also increased the cell proliferation marker Ki67. The expression of growth factors—such as bFGF, KGF, PDGF-AA, and VEGF—were increased by quercitrin both in mRNA and protein levels. In addition, quercitrin was found to increase the phosphorylation of Akt, Erk, and CREB in cultured hDPCs, while inhibitors of MAPKs reversed the effects of quercitrin. Finally, quercitrin stimulated hair shaft growth in cultured human hair follicles. Our data obtained from present study are in line with those previously reported and demonstrate that quercitrin is (one of) the active compound(s) of Hottuynia cordata extract which showed hair growth promoting effects. It is strongly suggested that the hair growth stimulating activity of quercitrin was exerted by enhancing the cellular energy metabolism, increasing the production of growth factors via activation of MAPK/CREB signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]