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Goenka S, R. Simon S. Asoprisnil, a Selective Progesterone Receptor Modulator (SPRM), Inhibits Melanosome Export in B16F10 Cells and HEMn-DP Melanocytes. Molecules 2020; 25:E3581. [PMID: 32781695 PMCID: PMC7465349 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25163581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have reported that estrogen hormone promotes melanogenesis while progesterone inhibits it. A selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), tamoxifen, has been shown to promote melanogenesis; however, to date, there have been no reports on the effects of a selective progesterone receptor modulator (SPRM) on melanogenesis. In the present study, we hypothesized that asoprisnil (AP), a SPRM, inhibits melanogenesis. AP was tested for cytotoxicity to B16F10 mouse melanoma cells for screening the nontoxic concentrations using MTS cytotoxicity assay. Extracellular and intracellular melanin levels were estimated at nontoxic concentrations of AP. To evaluate the direct effect of AP on tyrosinase enzyme, tyrosinase activity and copper chelating activities were measured. Next, the effects of AP on melanogenesis were tested in normal human melanocytes, neonatal, darkly pigmented (HEMn-DP). Our results demonstrate that AP was nontoxic at a concentration range of 10-50 μM in B16F10 cells; AP at 50 μM significantly suppressed extracellular melanin levels comparable to kojic acid at 500 μM, with no significant effect on intracellular melanin levels. The mechanism of melanogenesis inhibition was studied to assess if AP downregulated tyrosinase activity in cell lysates or in a cell-free system. However, AP was found to increase intracellular tyrosinase activity without any effect on tyrosinase enzyme activity or copper chelating activity in a cell-free system, indicating that AP inhibits melanogenesis by mechanisms other than direct effects on tyrosinase enzyme activity. The capacity of AP to inhibit melanosome export was further validated in HEMn-DP cells; AP significantly suppressed dendricity at concentrations of 20 and 30 μM in the absence of effects on melanin synthesis or intracellular tyrosinase activity. In addition, AP was nontoxic to human keratinocytes (HaCaT) at these concentrations, validating its safety for topical use. Taken together, our preliminary results demonstrate that AP might be repurposed as a candidate therapeutic for treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders via a unique mechanism, which encompasses a selective inhibition of melanosome export.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpi Goenka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5281, USA;
| | - Sanford R. Simon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5281, USA;
- Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5281, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5281, USA
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Busolini FI, Rodríguez GB, Filippa VP, Mohamed FH. Pigmented Cells in the Pineal Gland of Female Viscacha ( Lagostomus maximus maximus): A Histochemical and Ultrastructural Study. Int J Endocrinol 2017; 2017:7492960. [PMID: 29391866 PMCID: PMC5748126 DOI: 10.1155/2017/7492960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of pigment has been demonstrated in different nervous structures such as those of retina, substantia nigra, and locus coeruleus. These pigments have also been described in the pineal gland of different mammal species. Histochemical and ultrastructural studies of the pineal gland of female viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus) were performed to analyze the presence of pigmented cells under natural conditions and to evaluate a probable relation between pigment content and glandular activity during pregnancy. The following techniques were applied: hematoxylin-eosin, phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin, Masson-Fontana silver, DOPA histochemistry, Schmorl's reaction and toluidine blue. Estradiol and progesterone serum levels were determined by RIA. The ultrastructural features of the pineal pigment granules were also analyzed. Pigment granules were observed in a random distribution, but the pigmented cells were frequently found near blood vessels. The pineal pigment was histochemically identified as melanin. Differences in the amount of pigmented cells were found between pregnant and nonpregnant viscachas. The ultrastructural analysis revealed the presence of premelanosomes and melanosomes. Estradiol and progesterone levels vary during pregnancy. In conclusion, the changes in the amount of pigment content and hormone levels may indicate that the pineal gland of female viscacha is susceptible to endocrine variations during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio Ivan Busolini
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), 5700 San Luis, Argentina
- Histología, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Avenida Ejercito de los Andes 950, Bloque I, Piso No. 1, 5700 San Luis, Argentina
| | - Graciela Beatriz Rodríguez
- Parasitología, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Avenida Ejercito de los Andes 950, Bloque I, Piso No. 1, 5700 San Luis, Argentina
| | - Verónica Palmira Filippa
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), 5700 San Luis, Argentina
- Histología, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Avenida Ejercito de los Andes 950, Bloque I, Piso No. 1, 5700 San Luis, Argentina
| | - Fabian Heber Mohamed
- Histología, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Avenida Ejercito de los Andes 950, Bloque I, Piso No. 1, 5700 San Luis, Argentina
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Lee SJ, Son YH, Lee KB, Lee JH, Kim HJ, Jeong EM, Park SC, Kim IG. 4-n-butylresorcinol enhances proteolytic degradation of tyrosinase in B16F10 melanoma cells. Int J Cosmet Sci 2016; 39:248-255. [PMID: 27666581 DOI: 10.1111/ics.12368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE 4-n-butylresorcinol is a competitive inhibitor of tyrosinase and has been used as an antimelanogenic agent. However, its inhibition mechanism in intact cells is not fully understood. To elucidate the cellular mechanism, we compared in vitro and in vivo inhibitory effects of 4-n-butylresorcinol on tyrosinase activity. METHODS B16F10 melanoma cells were cultured in media containing α-MSH in the presence or absence of 4-n-butylresorcinol. Tyrosinase mRNA levels, protein levels and activity in B16F10 cells were compared by real-time PCR, immunostaining combined with western blot and colorimetric analysis, respectively. Melanin concentration was measured by colorimetry both in the cells and in the media. Tyrosinase glycosylation and proteolytic degradation were analysed by immunoblotting after cells were treated with Endo H/PNGase F and E64/proteasome inhibitors, respectively. RESULTS 4-n-butylresorcinol inhibited tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis more effectively in intact cells than in cell lysates. Western blotting and real-time RT-PCR showed that 4-n-butylresorcinol reduced protein levels, but not mRNA levels, of tyrosinase in B16F10 cells. 4-n-butylresorcinol showed no effect on the processing of tyrosinase glycosylation or on trafficking to melanosomes. However, treatment of B16F10 cells with E64 or proteasome inhibitor abrogated the 4-n-butylresorcinol-induced decrease of tyrosinase. Moreover, 4-n-butylresorcinol activated p38 MAPK, resulting in increased ubiquitination of tyrosinase. CONCLUSION 4-n-butylresorcinol inhibits melanogenesis by enhancing proteolytic degradation of tyrosinase as well as competitive binding to tyrosinase. These findings will help to develop new, effective and safe chemicals for the treatment of hyperpigmentation disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-J Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, South Korea
| | - Y H Son
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, South Korea
| | - K B Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, South Korea
| | - J-H Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, South Korea
| | - H-J Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, South Korea
| | - E M Jeong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, South Korea.,Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Daehak-ro 101, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, South Korea
| | - S C Park
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, South Korea
| | - I-G Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-799, South Korea.,Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Daehak-ro 101, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, South Korea
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Restoring lost gingival pigmentation in the esthetic zone: A case report. J Am Dent Assoc 2015; 146:402-5. [PMID: 26025828 DOI: 10.1016/j.adaj.2014.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW There is insufficient literature on the lack of oral pigmentation in the esthetic zone. The aim of this case report was to illustrate the potential impact of loss of gingival pigmentation in the esthetic zone, describe its surgical treatment, and discuss the limited literature on this topic. CASE DESCRIPTION An African American woman with high smile line had localized loss of gingival melanin pigmentation as a complication after implant failure and attempted guided bone regeneration in site 8. A highly pigmented free gingival graft was collected from the facial-attached gingiva of the maxillary posterior teeth and placed onto the previously de-epithelialized recipient bed in the maxillary front. Some pigmentation of the graft was preserved and was visible a few weeks after surgery; some pigmentation recovered over time. At 6 months after surgery, the patient was satisfied with the esthetics. Complete recovery of pigmentation took 12 months, at which time the patient was ready to proceed with the final prosthetic work. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Gingival pigmentation can be restored using a free gingival graft from a highly pigmented area. When surgical procedures are performed in such cases, loss of gingival pigmentation should be part of the informed consent. However, further research, including histology, is needed.
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Zhang M, Zhang X, Qureshi AA, Eliassen AH, Hankinson SE, Han J. Association between cutaneous nevi and breast cancer in the Nurses' Health Study: a prospective cohort study. PLoS Med 2014; 11:e1001659. [PMID: 24915186 PMCID: PMC4051600 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cutaneous nevi are suggested to be hormone-related. We hypothesized that the number of cutaneous nevi might be a phenotypic marker of plasma hormone levels and predict subsequent breast cancer risk. METHODS AND FINDINGS We followed 74,523 female nurses for 24 y (1986-2010) in the Nurses' Health Study and estimate the relative risk of breast cancer according to the number of cutaneous nevi. We adjusted for the known breast cancer risk factors in the models. During follow-up, a total of 5,483 invasive breast cancer cases were diagnosed. Compared to women with no nevi, women with more cutaneous nevi had higher risks of breast cancer (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio, 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-1.10 for 1-5 nevi; 1.15, 95% CI, 1.00-1.31 for 6-14 nevi, and 1.35, 95% CI, 1.04-1.74 for 15 or more nevi; p for continuous trend = 0.003). Over 24 y of follow-up, the absolute risk of developing breast cancer increased from 8.48% for women without cutaneous nevi to 8.82% (95% CI, 8.31%-9.33%) for women with 1-5 nevi, 9.75% (95% CI, 8.48%-11.11%) for women with 6-14 nevi, and 11.4% (95% CI, 8.82%-14.76%) for women with 15 or more nevi. The number of cutaneous nevi was associated with increased risk of breast cancer only among estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio per five nevi, 1.09, 95% CI, 1.02-1.16 for ER+/progesterone receptor [PR]-positive tumors; 1.08, 95% CI, 0.94-1.24 for ER+/PR- tumors; and 0.99, 95% CI, 0.86-1.15 for ER-/PR- tumors). Additionally, we tested plasma hormone levels according to the number of cutaneous nevi among a subgroup of postmenopausal women without postmenopausal hormone use (n = 611). Postmenopausal women with six or more nevi had a 45.5% higher level of free estradiol and a 47.4% higher level of free testosterone compared to those with no nevi (p for trend = 0.001 for both). Among a subgroup of 362 breast cancer cases and 611 matched controls with plasma hormone measurements, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for every five nevi attenuated from 1.25 (95% CI, 0.89-1.74) to 1.16 (95% CI, 0.83-1.64) after adjusting for plasma hormone levels. Key limitations in this study are that cutaneous nevi were self-counted in our cohort and that the study was conducted in white individuals, and thus the findings do not necessarily apply to other populations. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the number of cutaneous nevi may reflect plasma hormone levels and predict breast cancer risk independently of previously known factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfeng Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Xuehong Zhang
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Abrar A. Qureshi
- Department of Dermatology, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - A. Heather Eliassen
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Susan E. Hankinson
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jiali Han
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
- Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
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Samson N, Fink B, Matts P. Does a Woman’s Skin Color Indicate Her Fertility Level? SWISS JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Roberts et al. (2004 ) showed that perceived facial attractiveness of women is higher in the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle than in the luteal phase, suggesting the existence of visible cues of ovulation. However, the nature of such cues remains speculative. Here, in an initial pilot study, we test the hypothesis that changes in female facial skin coloration across the menstrual cycle could be one of the signals that men have adapted to in order to assess female fertility. Spectrophotometric measurements of the facial skin color of normally ovulating Caucasian women (aged 24–29 years) were collected in the late follicular and midluteal phase of their menstrual cycle. Facial images were also taken in both sessions and judged for attractiveness and health by a panel of German men (aged 16–37 years). In line with Roberts et al. (2004 ), our results show that men perceive women in the late follicular phase to be significantly more attractive and healthier than those in the midluteal phase. However, we did not detect any significant differences in objective measurements of skin color between the two phases. We conclude that the increase in male perception of female facial attractiveness and health in the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle is not caused by a change in overall skin color and/or lightness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Samson
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Fink
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Germany
| | - Paul Matts
- The Procter & Gamble Company, London Innovation Centre, UK
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Abstract
The role of neurohormones and neuropeptides in human hair follicle (HF) pigmentation extends far beyond the control of melanin synthesis by α-MSH and ACTH and includes melanoblast differentiation, reactive oxygen species scavenging, maintenance of HF immune privilege, and remodeling of the HF pigmentary unit (HFPU). It is now clear that human HFs are not only a target of multiple neuromediators, but also are a major non-classical production site for neurohormones such as CRH, proopiomelanocortin, ACTH, α-MSH, ß-endorphin, TRH, and melatonin. Moreover, human HFs have established a functional peripheral equivalent of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. By charting the author's own meanderings through the jungle of hair pigmentation research, the current perspectives essay utilizes four clinical observations - hair repigmentation, canities, poliosis, and 'overnight greying'- as points of entry into the enigmas and challenges of .pigmentary HF neuroendocrinology. After synthesizing key principles and defining major open questions in the field, selected research avenues are delineated that appear clinically most promising. In this context, novel neuroendocrinological strategies to retard or reverse greying and to reduce damage to the HFPU are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Paus
- Department of Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
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Firoz EF, Warycha M, Zakrzewski J, Pollens D, Wang G, Shapiro R, Berman R, Pavlick A, Manga P, Ostrer H, Celebi JT, Kamino H, Darvishian F, Rolnitzky L, Goldberg JD, Osman I, Polsky D. Association of MDM2 SNP309, age of onset, and gender in cutaneous melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 2009; 15:2573-80. [PMID: 19318491 PMCID: PMC3881546 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-08-2678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE In certain cancers, MDM2 SNP309 has been associated with early tumor onset in women. In melanoma, incidence rates are higher in women than in men among individuals less than 40 years of age, but among those older than 50 years of age, melanoma is more frequent in men than in women. To investigate this difference, we examined the association among MDM2 SNP309, age at diagnosis, and gender among melanoma patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Prospectively enrolled melanoma patients (N = 227) were evaluated for MDM2 SNP309 and the related polymorphism, p53 Arg72Pro. DNA was isolated from patient blood samples, and genotypes were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Associations among MDM2 SNP309, p53 Arg72Pro, age at diagnosis, and clinicopathologic features of melanoma were analyzed. RESULTS The median age at diagnosis was 13 years earlier among women with a SNP309 GG genotype (46 years) compared with women with TG+TT genotypes (59 years; P = 0.19). Analyses using age dichotomized at each decade indicated that women with a GG genotype had significantly higher risks of being diagnosed with melanoma at ages <50 years compared with women >or=50 years, but not when the comparison was made between women <60 and >or=60 years. At ages <50 years, women with a GG genotype had a 3.89 times greater chance of being diagnosed compared with women with TG+TT genotypes (P = 0.01). Similar observations were not seen among men. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that MDM2 may play an important role in the development of melanoma in women. The MDM2 SNP309 genotype may help identify women at risk of developing melanoma at a young age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elnaz F. Firoz
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032
| | - Melanie Warycha
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Jan Zakrzewski
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Danuta Pollens
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Guimin Wang
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Richard Shapiro
- Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Russell Berman
- Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Anna Pavlick
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
- Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Prashiela Manga
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Harry Ostrer
- Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
- Department of Pediatrics (Genetics), New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Julide Tok Celebi
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032
| | - Hideko Kamino
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Farbod Darvishian
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Linda Rolnitzky
- Division of Biostatistics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Judith D. Goldberg
- Division of Biostatistics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Iman Osman
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
- Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
| | - David Polsky
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016
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Abstract
For many decades, androgens have dominated endocrine research in hair growth control. Androgen metabolism and the androgen receptor currently are the key targets for systemic, pharmacological hair growth control in clinical medicine. However, it has long been known that estrogens also profoundly alter hair follicle growth and cycling by binding to locally expressed high-affinity estrogen receptors (ERs). Besides altering the transcription of genes with estrogen-responsive elements, 17beta-estradiol (E2) also modifies androgen metabolism within distinct subunits of the pilosebaceous unit (i.e., hair follicle and sebaceous gland). The latter displays prominent aromatase activity, the key enzyme for androgen conversion to E2, and is both an estrogen source and target. Here, we chart the recent renaissance of estrogen research in hair research; explain why the hair follicle offers an ideal, clinically relevant test system for studying the role of sex steroids, their receptors, and interactions in neuroectodermal-mesodermal interaction systems in general; and illustrate how it can be exploited to identify novel functions and signaling cross talks of ER-mediated signaling. Emphasizing the long-underestimated complexity and species-, gender-, and site-dependence of E2-induced biological effects on the hair follicle, we explore targets for pharmacological intervention in clinically relevant hair cycle manipulation, ranging from androgenetic alopecia and hirsutism via telogen effluvium to chemotherapy-induced alopecia. While defining major open questions, unsolved clinical challenges, and particularly promising research avenues in this area, we argue that the time has come to pay estrogen-mediated signaling the full attention it deserves in future endocrinological therapy of common hair growth disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Ohnemus
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany
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