Androgenic alopecia (AGA) affects both men and women worldwide. New blood vessel formation can restore blood supply and stimulate the hair regrowth cycle. Recently, our group reported that 2-deoxy-D-ribose (2dDR) is 80%–90% as effective as VEGF in the stimulation of neovascularization in in vitro models and in a chick bioassay. In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of 2dDR on hair growth. We prepared an alginate gel containing 2dDR, polypropylene glycol, and phenoxyethanol. AGA was developed in C57BL6 mice by intraperitoneally injecting testosterone (TE). A dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated group was used as a negative control, a minoxidil group was used as a positive control, and we included groups treated with 2dDR gel and a combination of 2dDR and minoxidil. Each treatment was applied for 20 days. Both groups treated with 2dDR gel and minoxidil stimulated the morphogenesis of hair follicles. H&E-stained skin sections of C57BL/6 mice demonstrated an increase in length, diameter, hair follicle density, anagen/telogen ratio, diameter of hair follicles, area of the hair bulb covered in melanin, and an increase in the number of blood vessels. Masson’s trichrome staining showed an increase in the area of the hair bulb covered in melanin. The effects of the FDA-approved drug (minoxidil) on hair growth were similar to those of 2dDR (80%–90%). No significant benefit were observed by applying a combination of minoxidil with 2dDR. We conclude that 2dDR gel has potential for the treatment of androgenic alopecia and possibly other alopecia conditions where stimulation of hair regrowth is desirable, such as after chemotherapy. The mechanism of activity of 2dDR remains to be established.
Alopecia can occur due to hormonal imbalance, thyroid problems, certain medications, and autoimmune diseases. It can be induced by blood thinning medications, contraceptives, antidepressants, steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, beta and calcium-channel blockers, retinoids, and chemotherapeutics (Vicky et al., 2018). Male pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia (AGA), is one of the most widespread hair loss conditions in the world (Yohei et al., 2018). In the pathophysiology of AGA, testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by 5α-reductase. DHT then binds to androgen receptors in the dermal papilla cells (DPCs) of sensitive hair follicles and prolongs the telogen phase, causing hair loss before the growth of new hair (Izabela et al., 2014). AGA is said to affect 30% of Asian men by age 30 and 50% by age 50 (Yohei et al., 2018). It also affects 80% of White men and 40% of White women by age 70 (Pietro et al., 2019).
