title: Assessment of tissue levels of dickkopf-1 in androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the commonest form of hair loss in men. Alopecia areata (AA) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease. Studies revealed that Dickkopf 1 (DKK-1), a powerful suppressor of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, induced anagen-to-catagen transition in mice. Moreover, in vitro studies suggested that DKK-1 played a role in dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced balding.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the tissue levels of DKK-1 in patients with AGA and AA, to assess its possible role as a pathogenetic mechanism in both disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 24 patients with AGA, 31 patients with AA, and 33 healthy controls. Scalp biopsies were taken from all participants for the detection of tissue DKK-1 levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tissue DKK-1 levels were significantly higher in patients with AGA than in controls (P = 0.000) as well as in patients with AA than in controls (P = 0.001). In addition, they were significantly higher in patients with AGA than in patients with AA (P = 0.000). DKK-1 was higher in male than in female patients with AGA. DKK-1 was negatively correlated with disease duration in AGA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, this study suggests an important role for DKK-1 in the pathogenesis of AGA and AA through documenting higher tissue DKK-1 levels in patients with both hair disorders compared to controls and suggests that DKK-1 may be a promising therapeutic target for these hair diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Marwa M T
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fawzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sara B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Olfat G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Shaker
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Marwah A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Saleh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000505:Alopecia / Q000378:metabolism*; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012535:Scalp; D012737:Sex Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C501126:DKK1 protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
keywords: alopecia areata; androgenetic alopecia; dickkopf 1