Alopecia World
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Causes (from Wikipedia and other sources, 2012)
Research
In May 2009, researchers in Japan identified a gene, SOX21, that appears to be responsible for hair loss in humans[12] and a researcher in India found the missing link between androgenic hormone and hair loss. Androgenic alopecia is said to be a counterproductive outcome of the anabolic effect of androgens.[13]
In March 2012 a study conducted by Dr. George Cotsarelis, chair and professor of Dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania discovered a casual link between elevated levels of Prostagladin D2 (PDG2) and androgenic alopecia. Abnormally high levels of PDG2 (a nearly three-fold increase) were discovered in tissue samples of balding areas compared to haired areas of the scalp. During the course of the research a PDG2 binding receptor GPR44 was also discovered. Clinical trails to assess compounds aimed at targeting the GPR44 receptor are currently underway.[14]
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tallgirl on
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Check out these opinions for men and women from March:
Julie Chen, M.D.: Our Body's Balancing Signals for Hair Loss and ...
Mar 27, 2012 ... When prostaglandin F2-alpha is elevated, there is increased hair growth. While
this information will be utilized for hair loss therapy, I would like ...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-chen-md/hair-loss-study_b_13785...Dr. Jeff Donovan - Hair Transplantation. Hair Dermatology. Hair ...
Mar 28, 2012 ... I think we'll be seeing more and more research about the role of prostaglandins
in hair loss. A drug analogue of Prostaglandin F2 alpha ...
http://www.drjeffdonovan.com/hair-blog/2012/3/28/breakthrough-in-ba...
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Genetic Research
There is a genetic component to alopecia areata, which means that heredity plays a role. In one out of five persons with alopecia areata, someone else in the family also has it. Those who develop alopecia areata for the first time after the age of thirty are less likely to have another family member with it. Those who develop their first patch of alopecia areata before the age of thirty are more likely to have other family members with it. Because of these truths, NAAF has focused a lot of its research into investigating the genetics of alopecia areata in hopes of determining what role genetics truly play in alopecia areata, including uncovering the mysteries of who is most susceptible and why.Foundation of Genetic Research and Alopecia Areata
In the 1990’s, the scientific community as a whole made great strides in being able to answer questions about genetics. The Human Genome Project at the National Institutes of Health brought us access to a wealth of information. And there were tremendous advances in looking at single-gene disorders like cystic fibrosis. In single-gene disorders whoever gets the gene also gets the disease.But alopecia areata is a polygenic disease, that is, it involves multiple genes and is therefore very complex. It is a bit like the many shades of gray; different genes in different combinations all play a role in this disease and researchers are working to untangle the web of these genetic relationships. This is much harder than looking at single genes. Prior to the completion of the Human Genome Project we were not even able to look at five or more genes in combination. The Human Genome Project and new gene technology has given geneticists the tools to step back and look globally at all the genes and identify hot spots.
As a result, the research studies that are now being designed for alopecia areata are focusing on large families, or what are called multiplex pedigrees, in which three or more people all have symptoms of alopecia areata. In preliminary studies we have found that alopecia areata has genes in common with other autoimmune diseases including psoriasis and arthritis.
Latest on Genetics and Alopecia Areata
Angela Christiano, PhD is one of several people involved in a comprehensive genetic analysis of people with alopecia areata. She is doing a genome-wide scan, looking at all the genes that comprise human beings, in a collection of family that have many family members with alopecia areata.Learn more about the results of her recent research, as well as her plans for future genetics research here:
Webinar
Nature Journal Article
(links on www.naaf.org)
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Permalink Reply by dreamscometrue on
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Hello:)
I'm new here. I have suffered with AA for about 6 years, and soon after AT, now almost 30 years AU. I've heard the claims that it may be hereditary, but I'm not buying it. No one in my immediate family has AA< AT, or AU, and no one in my extended family does either(aunts, uncles or cousins, grand-parents, both sides) just me. However, there are a lot of people in my family with auto-immune diseases, like allergies, eczema, asthma, etc. I truly believe, AA, AT, and AU are DNA mis-sequencing some how, which is why probably imho we see so many studies have come out that support stem cell therapy as a treatment. If you look at some of the studies/analysis that have been done, most of the patients were getting stem cell therapy for something else, and happened to have Alopecia of some type, yet their AA, AT, or AU and after stem cell therapy, their AU went into full remission. To me, that says and suggest a lot! AA, AT, and AU are a lot deeper than just topical or oral treatments, its something deeper in the physiological core that needs to be addressed. But again, this is only my most humble opinion.
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Yep. I have the perfect storm: genes on both sides from about 80 miles apart historically in Europe, asthma on one side and diabetes plus arthritis on the other (I have only slight arthritis in one knee). Doc said I was allergic to fur (sis had a cat and neighbor had new puppies we played with about the time I got AA), and I also had camp shots the summer before it started. Don't even know if chicken pox or measles affect this, but I had those, too, in the years before alopecia showed. Who knows the triggers...
No one else in my family has alopecia, either. Welcome to this site!
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Thank you! My onset began for me after an extremely horrifying experience. Started out as AA, then eventually progressed to AU over time. Ive had eczema as a child, then eventually that went away, no problems til I was about 16-17, then 18 and then on it just got worse. After my 1st child, it was just a down spiral from there, never got better. But again, I'm hopeful for stem cell therapy, I truly do believe the answer lies somewhere in there
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