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Can
men have pattern baldness as a result of production defects in the
enzymes involved in steroid metabolism
Possibly. Some scientists involved in hair research are interested
in an enyme called steroid sulfatase (STS). This enzyme produces
DHEA from DHEA-S that is naturally produced by the adrenal glands.
DHEA can be processed through several more steps by different enzymes
of the steroid metabolism system to make dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
There is no direct evidence to show that men with pattern alopecia
have high production of STS but there is a suggestion that men with
a deficiency in STS do not develop pattern alopecia regardless of
their family history and whether other male blood relatives have
pattern alopecia.
A genetic disease that only affects men, called X-linked recessive
Ichthyosis, is caused by a gene defect that means affected men cannot
make active STS. It has been shown that these men cannot convert
DHEA-S to DHEA and so DHEA-S cannot contribute to the total dihydrotestosterone
concentration in their bodies. It has been suggested that men with
this STS deficiency have no pattern alopecia.
If this is true then it would suggest that the concentrations of
STS and other enzymes in the steroid metabolic pathway contribute
to pattern baldness susceptibility. Looking for high levels of STS
and/or other steroid enzymes in people may show a link with extensive
pattern alopecia development.
Can
men have pattern baldness as a result of production defects in the
enzymes involved in steroid metabolism references
- Happle
R, Hoffmann R. Absence of male-pattern baldness in men with
X-linked recessive ichthyosis? A hypothesis to be challenged.
Dermatology. 1999;198(3):231-2.
- Dijkstra
AC, Vermeesch-Markslag AM, Vromans EW, Happle R, van de Kerkhof
PC, Zwanenburg B, Vos F, Vermorken AJ. Substrate specific sulfatase
activity from hair follicles in recessive X-linked ichthyosis.
Acta Derm Venereol. 1987;67(5):369-76.
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