title: Differential expression analysis of balding and nonbalding dermal papilla microRNAs in male pattern baldness with a microRNA amplification profiling method.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia is a common disorder affecting almost 50% of men throughout their lifetime, with androgens and genetics having significant contributing aetiologies. In contrast to the positive regulatory effect of androgens on body hair growth, they are thought to alter scalp hair follicle behaviour pathophysiologically, leading to male pattern baldness. However, the exact mechanisms of this paradoxical action have not yet been elucidated. The role of microRNAs, a novel group of noncoding RNAs impacting almost every aspect of biology, health and human diseases, has been documented in hair follicle formation. In addition, their deregulation in cancer of the prostate, a target organ of androgens, has also been well established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the possible contribution of microRNAs in the pathophysiology of male pattern baldness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We initially screened microRNA expression profiles of balding and nonbalding hair follicle papillae with a sensitive microRNA cloning method, microRNA amplification profiling, and statistically analysed significant differentially expressed microRNAs in balding relative to nonbalding dermal papillae, with real-time polymerase chain reaction as a confirmatory method to quantify expression in eight individuals affected with the disorder.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We detected the significant upregulation of miR-221, miR-125b, miR-106a and miR-410 in balding papilla cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found four microRNAs that could participate in the pathogenesis of male pattern baldness. Regarding the strong therapeutic potential of microRNAs and the easy accessibility of hair follicles for gene therapy, microRNAs are possible candidates for a new generation of revolutionary treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Goodarzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saffari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fazelzadeh Haghighi
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Tabei
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Noori Daloii
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000235:genetics*; D002999:Clone Cells; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D015723:Gene Library; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D035683:MicroRNAs