Higher plasma leptin is associated with higher risk of androgenetic alopecia in men

Abstract

In addition to genetics and androgens, novel factors could play a role in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). This study aims to investigate the association between plasma leptin level with the risk and severity of AGA in men. Forty-eight subjects were enrolled including 29 AGA and 19 non-AGA subjects. The plasma leptin level was significantly higher in AGA subjects, compared to non-AGA subjects (4.45 vs 2.76 ng/mL, P<.05).A higher plasma leptin levels were positively correlated with the risk of developing AGA in multivariate logistic analysis (odds ratio=2.77, P<.05). Leptin from the circulation might impact the development of AGA. | BACKGROUNDAndrogenetic alopecia (AGA) is regarded as an androgen-mediated process that occurs in genetically susceptible patients. However, factors other than androgens are believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of AGA because anti-androgen treatment does not completely reverse miniaturization. [1] Our previous study in men with AGA revealed that obesity is associated with a higher severity of hair loss.[2] Those findings suggested that obesity-associated metabolic changes could be a modulator for the progression of AGA. Leptin is a major adipocyte-derived factor, and its plasma level is commonly up-regulated in obese subjects due to the increased adipose tissue and the concomitant development of central leptin resistance. [3] Leptin has been reported to modulate the growth of hair follicles. [4,5] | QUESTIONS ADDRESSEDWe hypothesize that systemic leptin levels might modulate the growth of hair follicles and subsequently impact the development and severity of hair diseases. Therefore, we conducted the current study to investigate the association between plasma leptin levels with the risk and severity of AGA in men. | EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNMale subjects who were diagnosed as male pattern AGA or healthy volunteers with no history of AGA (non-AGA) at the age of 20-50 years were included in this study. The details of exclusion criteria and assessment of AGA are summarized in Data S1. The blood samples were taken from all subjects in the early morning after 8 hours of fasting.Enzyme-linked immunoassay kits were then used for the quantification of plasma levels of leptin, adiponectin, testosterone, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). | RESULTSA total of 48 subjects were enrolled in this study including 29 subjects with AGA and 19 non-AGA control subjects. The mean age of AGA subjects was 28.8 years and non-AGA subjects 34.1 years. Among the AGA subjects, 17 of them were diagnosed as mild severity (grade 2-3) and 12 subjects advanced severity (grade 4-6).BMI was not significantly different between AGA and non-AGA subjects ( Figure 1A) and was not correlated with the onset of AGA Abbreviations: AGA, androgenetic alopecia; BMI, body mass index; IGF, insulin growth factor;OR, odds ratio; TGF, transforming growth factor.F I G U R E 1 BMI and plasma leptin level in AGA group (AGA+) vs non-AGA group (AGA-) and mild AGA group vs severe AGA group...

The role of leptin in selected skin diseases

“…Firstly, reducing central, hypothalamic, endoplasmic reticulum stress could be an approach to improve leptin resistance [114]. Furthermore, several emerging leptin sensitizers Systemic lupus erythematosus ↑ -proinflammatory: promotion of the Th1/Th17 axis, inhibition of Treg -aging of mesenchymal stem cells (via the NAP-2 and PI3K-Akt pathway) [22,[71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82] Melanoma and non-pigment tumors ↑ -angiogenesis: ↑JAK/STAT3 pathway, ↑VEGF -mitogenic [83][84][85][86][87] Skin tags ↑ -↑keratinocyte and fibroblast growth [93][94][95][96] Hidradenitis suppurativa ↑ -proinflammatory: promotion of Th1 [97,98] Acne vulgaris no change -pro-inflammatory regulation of sebaceous lipid metabolism [102][103][104] Male androgenetic alopecia ↑ -unknown role [105,106] Atopic dermatitis no change -↑non-atopic th1 immune response [112,113] acting on the different points of leptin signaling are under investigation. Amongst these compounds, they are plant-derived substances (e.g.…”

“…Regardless of the possible impact of leptin on the hair follicle, the role of this adipokine in hair loss remains unknown. The association between obesity, leptin, and androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in males has been investigated by the group of Yang [ 105 , 106 ]. Higher BMI was significantly correlated with increased severity of hair loss in men with male-pattern AGA, particularly in those with early-onset of AGA.…”

27TH Fondation René Touraine Annual SCIENTIFIC MEETING 2019

“…In contrast, some areas of skin appendage research have remained, with a few notable exceptions, relatively stagnant compared to where they stood 5‐10 years before, such as the biology and pathophysiology of eccrine and apocrine sweat glands, and the nail apparatus as well as the neuroendocrinology and neurobiology of hair follicles . Yet, recent methodological advances, for example in the intravital visualization of human eccrine sweat glands for microdissection and organ culture or in the 3D reconstruction and measurement of sweat production by fat‐suppressed proton density‐weighted MRI make us run out of excuses for not having dissected the physiology and molecular pathobiology of these remarkable skin appendages with the same attention to detail that HF and SG have long enjoyed.…”

Androgenetic alopecia as a cardiovascular risk factor

“…Leptin, secreted from adipocytes of the subcutis, causes an inhibition of the anagen phase [35]. Yang et al showed a higher leptin concentration in patients with androgenetic alopecia as compared with the control group matched according to age, sex, and BMI values [36]. Leptin concentration positively correlated with the severity of alopecia [36].…”

“…Yang i wsp. wykazali większe stężenie leptyny u pacjentów z łysieniem androgenowym w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną dobraną pod względem wieku, płci i BMI [36]. Stężenie leptyny dodatnio korelowało ze stopniem nasilenia łysienia [36].…”