Expression study of androgen, estrogen and progesterone receptors by immunohistochemistry in patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia
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Date
2023
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Abstract
Introduction: Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a lymphocytic primary cicatricial alopecia, which etiology is unknown. Multiple pharmacological therapies have been developed, being finasteride alone or in combination with corticosteroids an effective treatment. Objectives: To evaluate if the expression of androgen, progesterone and estrogen receptors in the hair follicle of patients with FFA differs from healthy controls.Methods: Microarrays were constructed from scalp biopsies taken from patients with a clinical diagnosis of FFA, and histopathological diagnosis of FFA/lichen planopilaris; and from healthy scalp samples from patients with similar demographic characteristics to those of the case group. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine the expression of androgen, estrogen and progesterone receptors in all samples.Results: This study included 27 patients with clinical and biopsy-proven FFA and 26 controls. 48% of scalp samples from patients with FFA presented androgen receptors, in contrast to 27% of samples from patients without FFA, although this difference was not statistically significant (p value >0.05). Estrogen and progesterone receptors were negative in all samples.Discussion: There is a tendency for patients with FFA to have a higher concentration of androgen receptors than healthy patients. Studies with prospective designs and larger sample sizes are required to validate these results, which could also evaluate the correlation between the presence of androgen receptors and the response to antiandrogen treatment.
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Keywords
Key Alopecia, Alopecia Cicatrisata, Lichen Planopilaris, Androgens, 5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors