Background: Androgenetic alopecia can affect up to 70% of males and 40% of females; however, certain therapeutic medications offer partial and transitory improvement but with major side effects. Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP) has been reported to improve androgen-related hair loss in mice, but the molecular mechanism remains unclear.
Objectives: To explore the effects of DOP on androgenetic alopecia.
Methods: In this study, testosterone was subcutaneously administered to shave dorsa skin of mice to establish androgenetic alopecia; the effects of DOP in androgenetic alopecia were explored by DOP administration.
Results: Testosterone treatment extended the time of skin growing dark and hair growing, decreased the mean numbers of follicles in skin tissues, decreased β-catenin and cyclin D1 levels, and elevated testosterone, DHT (dihydrotestosterone), and 5α-reductase levels. In contrast, DOP administration shortened skin growing dark and hair growing times, promoted follicle cell proliferation, increased follicle numbers, increased β-catenin and cyclin D1 levels, and decreased testosterone, DHT, and 5α-reductase levels.
Conclusion: DOP application significantly improved testosterone-induced hair follicle miniaturization and hair loss, possibly through affecting the Wnt signaling and hair follicle stem cell functions.
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Keywords: Androgenetic alopecia; Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP); Follicle regrowth; Testosterone; The Wnt signaling.
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