title: Hair repigmentation associated with the use of lenalidomide: graying may not be an irreversible process!
abstract: We report the first case of progressive hair repigmentation associated with the use of lenalidomide in an elderly patient with multiple myeloma. The influence of lenalidomide on follicular melanogenesis may involve removing the inhibitory influences of some cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α. In addition, certain endocrine effects of lenalidomide on the hypophyseal-adrenal axis could explain its action on hair pigmentation. We further hypothesize that lenalidomide may be capable of stimulating migration and/or differentiation of melanocytes to promote repigmentation of gray hair follicles. Pending the clarification of how hair repigmentation occurs with lenalidomide, our observation materializes the concept that hair graying may not be an irreversible process, which opens avenues for targeted therapeutics in the fields of cosmetics and anti-aging medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology-Oncology, St Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, CT 06105, USA. c_dasanu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Constantin A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Dasanu
authors.forename: Demytra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mitsis
authors.forename: Doru T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Alexandrescu
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006200:Hair Color / Q000187:drug effects*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D016207:Cytokines; D013792:Thalidomide; D000077269:Lenalidomide