Hair growth
Hair cycle-dependent expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) activator, other proteinases, and proteinase inhibitors correlates with the expression of HGF in rat hair follicles.

Yamazaki M, Tsuboi R, Lee YR, Ishidoh K, Mitsui S, Ogawa H.

Department of Dermatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

We previously reported that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) had a stimulatory effect on hair growth in vivo and in vitro. The secreted inactive form of HGF is processed into an active form by serine proteinases such as HGF activator and urokinase. The mRNA expressions of various proteinases and their inhibitors in relation to HGF activation in hair growth were examined using animals with a synchronous hair cycle. Total RNA were extracted from the anterior dorsal skin of rats in different hair cycle stages, and mRNA expressions of the specific genes were compared using semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The mRNA of HGF, HGF activator, urokinase, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1, nexin-1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 were expressed strongly in anagen tissue and slightly in telogen tissue. Moreover, topical application of 1% minoxidil sulfate to the anterior dorsal skin of rats in telogen stimulated hair growth and increased the mRNA expressions of HGF and MMP-2. These findings suggest that some proteinases and their inhibitors, strongly expressed in anagen, may act as hair growth regulatory molecules, and may also be involved in processing the latent form of HGF.

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Hair growth
Dual-mode regulation of hair growth cycle by two Fgf-5 gene products.

Suzuki S, Ota Y, Ozawa K, Imamura T.

POLA R&D Laboratories, Totsuka-ku Yokohama, Japan.

As the result of alternative mRNA splicing, Fgf-5, the gene encoding fibroblast growth factor-5, translates to both long and short forms of the protein, respectively, designated fibroblast growth factor-5 and fibroblast growth factor-5S. We previously showed that localization of fibroblast growth factor-5 and the level of fibroblast growth factor-5S in murine skin are hair-cycle dependent. In this study, we examined the effect of fibroblast growth factor-5 and fibroblast growth factor-5S on the hair growth cycle in mice. Once the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle was induced in the dorsal skin by depilation during telogen, and effects of subcutaneous injection of fibroblast growth factor-5 and fibroblast growth factor-5S into the affected region were analyzed. We found that fibroblast growth factor-5 inhibited hair growth during anagen and promoted the transition from anagen to catagen. Interestingly, whereas fibroblast growth factor-5S alone exerted no effect on hair growth, it significantly inhibited the catagen-promoting activity of fibroblast growth factor-5 when the two proteins were injected simultaneously. Because neither fibroblast growth factor-5 nor fibroblast growth factor-5S affected skin thickness, it is postulated that changes in skin thickness during hair cycle are separately regulated by factors other than those regulating hair and follicle growth. The present results, together with our earlier findings that fibroblast growth factor-5-producing cells gather around dermal papillae during catagen, whereas fibroblast growth factor-5S is abundantly expressed in the hair follicles only during the latter half of anagen, suggests that the mouse hair growth cycle is regulated by the two Fgf-5 gene products acting in concert: fibroblast growth factor-5 induces catagen, whereas fibroblast growth factor-5S antagonizes this activity during anagen.

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Hair growth
Laser hair transplantation II.

Fitzpatrick RE, Marchell NL.

Dermatology Associates of San Diego County, Inc., San Diego, California, USA. dadee7 cts.com

BACKGROUND: Micrografting has revolutionized hair transplantation, resulting in far more natural results than have been achieved prior to this technique. Operative problems including bleeding, graft compression, and ease of graft insertion have been alleged to be decreased with the use of a high-energy pulsed CO2 laser for creation of recipient sites. However, because of thermal injury to surrounding tissue, diminished hair growth and slower wound healing also have been seen. OBJECTIVE: A new laser handpiece, designed to minimize tissue thermal damage to hair recipient sites was tested in comparison to 18-gauge needle recipient sites in the same patients. Hair growth counts at 6 months as well as various measurements of operative problems were compared. METHODS: Two hundred laser grafts were performed on one scalp side and compared to 200 needle grafts on the opposite side. Hair counts preoperatively and at 6 months were performed. Biopsies for depth and surrounding tissue damage were taken intraoperatively. Time for completion of various stages of the procedure for each side were recorded, as well as the incidence of side effects per side. RESULTS: Hair growth was equal for each side. Bleeding and operative time were significantly reduced and ease of graft insertion was increased on the laser side. Graft compression and scarring were not seen. CONCLUSIONS: Laser hair transplantation is faster than using conventional techniques and results in equal hair growth, and should be considered as a viable alternative technique.

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Hair growth
The sinus hair follicle of the cat. Hair growth and hair cycle.

Gasse H, Schwarz R.

Department of Anatomy, Hannover School of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany. hgasse anat.tiho-hannover.de

The cat's sinus hair follicle is described histologically with special regard to structural characteristics and functional mechanisms of sinus hair growth and sinus hair cycle. Special features of both cornification of the inner epithelial root sheath and hair fixation, respectively, result in a loss of traction that is required for hair growth and hair expulsion. Instead, there is the outgrowing new anagen sinus hair that pushes the preceeding sinus hair upwards, and - secondly - there is a long-lasting cell pro- liferation. Cell proliferation - immunocytochemically detected with anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen - continues in the preceeding sinus hair while the formation of a new, succeeding sinus hair follicle begins. No distinct, 'typical' catagen state of sinus hair follicle has been found even in a large number of collected specimens. These findings stress that the well known features of hair growth and hair cycle in the pelage hair follicle cannot be generalized and adopted in all details to the sinus hair follicle. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel

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Hair growth
Effects of sex steroid deprivation/administration on hair growth and skin sebum production in transsexual males and females.

Giltay EJ, Gooren LJ.

Research Institute for Endocrinology, Reproduction and Metabolism, University Hospital Vrije Universiteit, The Netherlands. giltay dds.nl

To investigate androgen effects on the skin pilosebaceous unit, we studied 21 male-to-female transsexuals and 17 female-to-male transsexuals receiving cross-sex hormones. At baseline and after 4, 8, and 12 months, hair growth was evaluated by the Ferriman-Gallwey score; acne by the Leeds classification; hair growth rate, density, and shaft diameter by image analysis; and sebum production by Sebutape. In males, estrogens and antiandrogens reduced plasma testosterone to below 1.0 nmol/L. Though all parameters of hair growth and sebum production declined, facial hair growth continued. After 4 months, the decrease in shaft diameter had reached its maximum and seemed inversely associated with changes in hair growth length and density. In females, testosterone increased hair growth rate and sebum production. After 12 months, hairs on the cheek and abdomen had not yet reached diameters found in males. 5alpha-Androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol glucuronide levels were only weakly associated with hair growth and sebum production. In conclusion, administration of estrogens and antiandrogens affects length and diameter of hairs at different rates. In the virtual absence of androgens, hair growth continues but at a slower rate. In women, after 12 months of androgen administration, hair diameters have not reached values of adult men.

Online pharmacy ref source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10946903&dopt=Abstract alopecia, hair loss hair growth



Hair growth
Examination of the chin or lower abdomen only for the prediction of hirsutism.

Knochenhauer ES, Hines G, Conway-Myers BA, Azziz R.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama 35233-7333, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that scoring terminal hair growth on only the chin or abdomen can serve as a reliable predictor for hirsutism. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. PATIENT(S): Six hundred and ninety-five consecutive hyperandrogenic women seen between June 1987 and December 1997. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): All hirsutism exams were performed by one examiner. Hirsutism was scored using a modification of the Ferriman-Gallwey (F-G) method. An F-G score of > or = 8 defined hirsutism. RESULT(S): Of the 695 women examined 352 (50.1%) had hirsutism scores of 8. Thirty percent (79 of 344) of women who had an F-G score of <8 had previously underwent electrology. If either the chin or lower abdomen hair growth score was > or = 2, the sensitivity was 100% for the prediction of hirsutism, although the specificity was 27%. The positive predictive value (PPV) for hirsutism using a hair score of > or = 2 at either of these sites was 58%. CONCLUSION(S): A hair growth score of > or = 2 on the chin or lower abdomen only was found to be a highly sensitive predictor for hirsutism. However, because of its very low PPV, this screening method is virtually useless in populations where the hirsutism frequency is expected to be low, about 5%. However, this screening method for the detection of hirsutism would be useful for the study of high-risk populations with an expected hirsutism prevalence of >20% (e.g., family studies).

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Hair growth
Differentiation of hair growth cycle from scalp hair roots for the diagnosis of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in neonates.

Lin SY, Niu DM, Li MJ, Tu CP, Lin HL.

Department of Medical Research and Education, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. sylin vghtpe.gov.tw

Hair analysis can be used as a screening tool in the diagnosis of genetic diseases. The scalp hair roots of 67 normal neonates and 39 neonates with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency were analysed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy to differentiate the stages of the hair growth cycle and to diagnose the genetic disorder on the basis of spectral differences. We have demonstrated that FT-IR microspectroscopy is a rapid and effective noninvasive diagnostic method to differentiate scalp hair roots of normal neonates into the anagen, catagen or telogen phases of the hair growth cycle, using IR spectral differences within the 3000-2800 cm(-1) region and the IR peak area ratio of 2854 cm(-1)/2873 cm(-1) or 1084 cm(-1)/amide II band (p<0.001). Moreover, G6PD-deficient neonates could be accurately diagnosed from telogen phase hair roots owing to significant differences in IR peak area ratios of 2854 cm(-1)/2873(-1) or 1084 cm(-1)/amide II band compared to normal values in healthy neonates. The result suggests that the application of FT-IR microspectroscopy may be capable not only of differentiating the hair growth cycle into anagen, categen or telogen phases but also of detecting G6PD deficiency. Hair root analysis promises to be a useful complement to serum and urine analysis in the diagnosis of genetic diseases.

Online pharmacy ref source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11117431&dopt=Abstract alopecia, hair loss hair growth