title: Genetic variation in the human androgen receptor gene is the major determinant of common early-onset androgenetic alopecia.
abstract: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), or male-pattern baldness, is the most common form of hair loss. Its pathogenesis is androgen dependent, and genetic predisposition is the major requirement for the phenotype. We demonstrate that genetic variability in the androgen receptor gene (AR) is the cardinal prerequisite for the development of early-onset AGA, with an etiological fraction of 0.46. The investigation of a large number of genetic variants covering the AR locus suggests that a polyglycine-encoding GGN repeat in exon 1 is a plausible candidate for conferring the functional effect. The X-chromosomal location of AR stresses the importance of the maternal line in the inheritance of AGA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genomics, Life and Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hillmer
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hanneken
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ritzmann
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freudenberg
authors.forename: Felix F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Brockschmidt
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flaquer
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Freudenberg-Hua
authors.forename: Rami Abou
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Jamra
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Metzen
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Heyn
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schweiger
authors.forename: Regina C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Betz
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blaumeiser
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hampe
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.forename: Hans Christian
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hennies
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Propping
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruzicka
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cichon
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Wienker
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kruse
authors.forename: Markus M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nothen
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000235:genetics*; D041321:Chromosomes, Human, X; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D011944:Receptors, Androgen