Dabeen Park/Assay

How we can treat androgenetic alopecia combine with hypertrichosis using specific genome method?

 

Abstract

Androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss in both men and women. This condition is also known as male-pattern baldness. "M" shape, or complete baldness. The frequency of Androgenetic alopecia is 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States. Hypertrichosis is a condition characterized by excessive hair growth anywhere on a person’s body. Type of Hyertrichosis is Congenital hypertrichosis lanuginosa, Congenital hypertrichosis terminalis, Nevoid hypertrichosis, Hirsutism, Acquired hypertrichosis. Especially, the frequency of Hirsutism is 5-10% in women. The core technique is capillary sequencing, high-throughput (formerly "next-generation") sequencing technologies such as Illumina dye sequencing, pyrosequencing, and SMRT sequencing. All of these technologies continue to employ the basic shotgun strategy, namely, parallelization and template generation via genome fragmentation. Other technologies are emerging, including nanopore technology.

 

Introduction

What is androgenetic alopecia?

Androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss in both men and women. In men, this condition is also known as male-pattern baldness. The hairline recedes to form a characteristic "M" shape. Hair also thins at the crown (near the top of the head), often progressing to partial or complete baldness.

The pattern of hair loss in women differs from male-pattern baldness. In women, the hair becomes thinner all over the head, and the hairline does not recede. Androgenetic alopecia in women rarely leads to total baldness.

Frequency of Androgenetic alopecia

This form of hair loss affects an estimated 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States. Androgenetic alopecia can start as early as a person's teens and risk increases with age; more than 50 percent of men over age 50 have some degree of hair loss. In women, hair loss is most likely after menopause.

 

What is hypertrichosis?

Hypertrichosis, also known as werewolf syndrome, is a condition characterized by excessive hair growth anywhere on a person’s body. It can affect both women and men, but it’s extremely rare. The abnormal hair growth may cover the face and body or occur in small patches. Hypertrichosis can appear at birth or develop over time.

Types of hypertrichosis

Congenital hypertrichosis lanuginosa: It first appears as normal lanugo, the fine hair found on a baby, at birth. But instead of disappearing during subsequent weeks, the soft fine hair continues to grow in various places on the baby’s body.

Congenital hypertrichosis terminalis: Abnormal hair growth begins at birth and continues throughout a person’s life. Hair, usually long and thick, covers the person’s face and body.

Nevoid hypertrichosis: Excessive hair growth of any kind appears in a defined area. In few cases, more than one patch of hair is present.

Hirsutism: This form of hypertrichosis is limited to women. It results in dark, thick hair growing in places women normally don’t have hair, such as their face, chest, and back.

Acquired hypertrichosis: Unlike congenital hypertrichosis, the acquired form of the disease tends to develop later in life. As well, it results in two types of hair other than lanugo: vellus hair or terminal hair. Excess hair may grow in small patches or on all hair-growing areas of a person’s body.

 

Genetic changes of Androgenetic alopecia

Hair growth begins under the skin in structures called follicles. Each strand of hair normally grows for 2 to 6 years, goes into a resting phase for several months, and then falls out. The cycle starts over when the follicle begins growing a new hair. Increased levels of androgens in hair follicles can lead to a shorter cycle of hair growth and the growth of shorter and thinner strands of hair. Additionally, there is a delay in the growth of new hair to replace strands that are shed.

Although researchers suspect that several genes play a role in androgenetic alopecia, variations in only one gene, AR, have been confirmed in scientific studies. The AR gene provides instructions for making a protein called an androgen receptor. Androgen receptors allow the body to respond appropriately to dihydrotestosterone and other androgens. Studies suggest that variations in the AR gene lead to increased activity of androgen receptors in hair follicles. It remains unclear, however, how these genetic changes increase the risk of hair loss in men and women with androgenetic alopecia.

Genetic changes of Hypertrichosis

Congenital generalized hypertrichosis (CGH) is a genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous group of rare conditions characterized by universal hair overgrowth. It is the major phenotypic feature of many distinct genetic syndromes and can be inherited as an autosomal or X-linked dominant trait.

 

Conclusion

Using genome sequencing, we can treat Androgenetic alopecia and Hypertrichosis.