DHT Dihydrotestosterone (5a-Dihydrotestosterone)
DHT or Dihydrotestosterone (5a-Dihydrotestosterone) is a male sex hormone, a potent form of testosterone that is converted from testosterone by the enzyme 5a-reductase, an enzyme that synthesizes DHT in the adrenal glands, hair follicles, testes and prostate.
It is known that DHT plays a major role in hair loss but the process is not well understood. Many medications have been proven to interfere with DHT but have mixed results.
A critical part of the hair follicle is the dermal papilla which is responsible for the growth of the hair shaft. It is the "engine" of hair growth and is supplied with nutrients required for proper hair follicle growth by being in direct contact with the blood supply.
A reason DHT may play such a critical role in hair loss is that the dermal papilla(DP) have a large number of androgen receptors and males have many more compared to females. Further, DHT is 5 times more attracted to these DP androgen receptors than normal testosterone. Hair on the vertex and frontal regions of the scalp have been shown to contain many more receptors than on other parts of the scalp thus giving a balding man the typical horseshoe effect.
Clinical Studies
| Clinical Studies | Abstract |
| Caspase-1 level is higher in the scalp in androgenetic alopecia. | BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Inflammasomes that activate caspase-1 govern the innate immune inflammatory response. Whether hair loss associated with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) involves caspase-1 activation is not known. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for caspase-1 was performed on scalp tissue sections, and protein lysates were analyzed from individuals with AGA (no treatment), and individuals with AGA taking finasteride with apparent hair growth, individuals with AGA taking finasteride without noted hair growth, and normal controls. In vitro studies of human keratinocytes were conducted to establish effects of finasteride, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and testosterone on caspase-1 levels using immunoblot analysis. RESULTS: Caspase-1 is expressed in normal human adult epidermal keratinocytes. Caspase-1 expression is greater in men with AGA. In contrast, in men taking finasteride, caspase-1 levels were lower and were similar to those in normal controls. In vitro studies showed that keratinocytes treated with finasteride in combination with testosterone or DHT resulted in a significant decrease in caspase-1 expression. CONCLUSION: In vivo and in vitro finasteride treatment resulted in lower caspase-1 expression, supporting the idea that androgens influence innate immunity involved in the hair cycle in AGA. These findings may provide a basis for development of novel treatments for inflammatory skin and hair diseases. |
| Dihydrotestosterone-inducible IL-6 inhibits elongation of human hair shafts by suppressing matrix cell proliferation and promotes regression of hair follicles in mice. | Autocrine and paracrine factors are produced by balding dermal papilla (DP) cells following dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-driven alterations and are believed to be key factors involved in male pattern baldness. Herein we report that the IL-6 is upregulated in balding DP cells compared with non-balding DP cells. IL-6 was upregulated 3 hours after 10-100 nM DHT treatment, and ELISA showed that IL-6 was secreted from balding DP cells in response to DHT. IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) and glycoprotein 130 (gp130) were expressed in follicular keratinocytes, including matrix cells. Recombinant human IL-6 (rhIL-6) inhibited hair shaft elongation and suppressed proliferation of matrix cells in cultured human hair follicles. Moreover, rhIL-6 injection into the hypodermis of mice during anagen caused premature onset of catagen. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that DHT-inducible IL-6 inhibits hair growth as a paracrine mediator from the DP. |
| Dihydrotestosterone inhibits hair growth in mice by inhibiting insulin-like growth factor-I production in dermal papillae. | We demonstrated that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) production in dermal papillae was increased and hair growth was promoted after sensory neuron stimulation in mice. Although the androgen metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT) inhibits hair growth by negatively modulating growth-regulatory effects of dermal papillae, relationship between androgen metabolism and IGF-I production in dermal papillae is not fully understood. We examined whether DHT inhibits IGF-I production by inhibiting sensory neuron stimulation, thereby preventing hair growth in mice. Effect of DHT on sensory neuron stimulation was examined using cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons isolated from mice. DHT inhibits calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) release from cultured DRG neurons. The non-steroidal androgen-receptor antagonist flutamide reversed DHT-induced inhibition of CGRP release. Dermal levels of IGF-I and IGF-I mRNA, and the number of IGF-I-positive fibroblasts around hair follicles were increased at 6h after CGRP administration. DHT administration for 3weeks decreased dermal levels of CGRP, IGF-I, and IGF-I mRNA in mice. Immunohistochemical expression of IGF-I and the number of proliferating cells in hair follicles were decreased and hair re-growth was inhibited in animals administered DHT. Co-administration of flutamide and CGRP reversed these changes induced by DHT administration. These observations suggest that DHT may decrease IGF-I production in dermal papillae by inhibiting sensory neuron stimulation through interaction with the androgen receptor, thereby inhibiting hair growth in mice. |
| Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry based hair steroid profiling may reveal pathogenesis in hair follicles of the scalp. | A method of steroid profiling, including androgens, progestins, corticoids and sterols, was developed to evaluate the concentrations of steroids as well as the activities of the enzymes responsible for steroidogenesis in hair by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The extraction efficiencies of steroids from the hair matrix were improved by ultrasonication for 1 h at 50 °C. The overall recoveries ranged from 71 to 132%, with a limit of quantification for all analytes ranging from 1 to 50 ng/g. The devised method was used to identify the metabolic changes for both male-pattern baldness (MPB) and the drug efficiency of dutasteride, which inhibits 5α-reductase. Increased dihydrotestosterone levels and the dihydrotestosterone/testosterone (DHT/T) ratio, which is responsible for the 5α-reductase activity, were observed in the MPB patients. A dutasteride treatment resulted in decreases in the DHT and 5α-androstanedione concentrations and DHT/T ratio in the hair samples. Hair steroid profiling reflects the sebaceous status in the scalp and may be useful for monitoring the metabolic responses to both the disease and drug actions. |
| Preventable effect of L-threonate, an ascorbate metabolite, on androgen-driven balding via repression of dihydrotestosterone-induced dickkopf-1 expression in human hair dermal papilla cells. | In a previous study, we recently claimed that dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-inducible dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) expression is one of the key factors involved in androgen-potentiated balding. We also demonstrated that L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (Asc 2-P) represses DHT-induced DKK-1 expression in cultured dermal papilla cells (DPCs). Here, we investigated whether or not L-threonate could attenuate DHT-induced DKK-1 expression. We observed via RT-PCR analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that DHT-induced DKK-1 expression was attenuated in the presence of L-threonate. We also found that DHT-induced activation of DKK-1 promoter activity was significantly repressed by L-threonate. Moreover, a co-culture system featuring outer root sheath (ORS) keratinocytes and DPCs showed that DHT inhibited the growth of ORS cells, which was then significantly reversed by L-threonate. Collectively, these results indicate that L-threonate inhibited DKK-1 expression in DPCs and therefore is a good treatment for the prevention of androgen-driven balding. |
| L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate represses the dihydrotestosterone-induced dickkopf-1 expression in human balding dermal papilla cells. | Recent studies suggested that dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-driven alteration in the autocrine and paracrine factors may be a key to androgen-potentiated balding. Also, we recently claimed that DHT-inducible dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) is one of the key factors involved in the androgen-potentiated balding. Here, we investigated whether L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (Asc 2-P), a derivative of L-ascorbic acid, could attenuate DHT-induced DKK-1 expression in dermal papilla cells (DPCs) from balding scalp. We observed that DHT-induced DKK-1 mRNA expression was attenuated in the presence of Asc 2-P as examined by RT-PCR analysis. In addition, we found that DHT-induced activation of luciferase reporter activity was significantly repressed when Asc 2-P was added together with DHT. Moreover, Asc 2-P repressed DHT-induced DKK-1 protein expression as examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Although there will be many hurdles to apply our finding to actual remedies, these results suggest that it would be worthy to evaluate Asc 2-P or its derivatives for the treatment and prevention of androgen-driven balding. |
| Dihydrotestosterone-inducible dickkopf 1 from balding dermal papilla cells causes apoptosis in follicular keratinocytes. | Recent studies suggest that androgen-driven alteration to the autocrine and paracrine factors produced by scalp dermal papilla (DP) cells may be a key to androgen-potentiated balding. Here, we screened dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-regulated genes in balding DP cells and found that dickkopf 1 (DKK-1) is one of the most upregulated genes. DKK-1 messenger RNA is upregulated in 3-6 hours after 50-100 nM DHT treatment and ELISA showed that DKK-1 is secreted from DP cells in response to DHT. A co-culture system using outer root sheath (ORS) keratinocytes and DP cells showed that DHT inhibits the growth of ORS cells, and neutralizing antibody against DKK-1 significantly reversed the growth inhibition of ORS cells. Analysis of co-cultured ORS cells showed a significant increment of sub-G1 apoptotic cells in response to DHT. Also, recombinant human DKK-1 inhibited the growth of ORS cells and triggered apoptotic cell death. In addition, DHT-induced epithelial cell death in cultured hair follicles was reversed by neutralizing DKK-1 antibody. Moreover, immunoblotting showed that the DKK-1 level is up in the bald scalp compared with the haired scalp of patients with androgenetic alopecia. Altogether, our data strongly suggest that DHT-inducible DKK-1 is involved in DHT-driven balding. |
| Dihydrotestosterone and the concept of 5alpha-reductase inhibition in human benign prostatic hyperplasia. | The development of human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) clearly requires a combination of testicular androgens and the ageing process. Although the role of androgens as the causative factor for human benign prostatic hyperplasia is debated, they undoubtedly play, at least, a permissive role. The principal prostatic androgen is dihydrotestosterone. Although not elevated in human benign prostatic hyperplasia, dihydrotestosterone levels in the prostate remain at a normal level with ageing, despite a decrease in the plasma testosterone. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is generated by a reduction in testosterone. Two isoenzymes of 5alpha-reductase have been discovered. Type 1 is present in most tissues in the body where 5alpha-reductase is expressed, and is the dominant form in sebaceous glands. Type 2 5alpha-reductase is the dominant isoenzyme in genital tissues, including the prostate. Finasteride is a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor that has been used to treat BPH and male-pattern baldness. At doses used clinically, its major effect is to suppress type 2 5alpha-reductase, because it has a much lower affinity for the type 1 isoenzyme. Finasteride suppresses DHT by about 70% in serum and by as much as 85%-90% in the prostate. The remaining DHT in the prostate is likely to be the result of type 1 5alpha-reductase. The suppression of both 5alpha-reductase isoenzymes with GI198745 results in greater and more consistent containment of serum dihydrotestosterone than that observed with a selective inhibitor of type 2 5alpha-reductase. Physiological and clinical studies comparing dual 5alpha-reductase inhibitors, such as GI198745, with selective type 2, such as finasteride, will be needed to determine the clinical relevance of type 1 5alpha-reductase within the prostate. There have been two large, international multicentre, phase III trials published documenting the safety and efficacy of finasteride in treating human benign prostatic hyperplasia. Combining these two studies, randomised, controlled data are available for 12 months. Non-controlled extension of these data from a subset of patients, who elected to continue on the drug for 3, 4 and 5 years, are also available. Long-term medical therapy with finasteride can reduce clinically significant endpoints, such as acute urinary retention or surgery. According to the meta-analysis of six randomised, clinical trials with finasteride, finasteride is most effective in men with large prostates. A more effective dual inhibitor of type 1 and 2 human 5alpha-reductase may lower circulating dihydrotestosterone to a greater extent than finasteride and show advantages in treating human benign prostatic hyperplasia and other disease states that depend on dihydrotestosterone. A clinical evaluation of potent dual 5alpha-reductase inhibitors may help to define the relative roles of human type 1 and 2 5alpha-reductase in the pathophysiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia and other androgen-dependent diseases. |