Melatonin Promotes Human Hair Follicle Stem Cell Proliferation by Suppressing 5-Alpha-Reductase: Implications for Treating Androgenetic Alopecia

This study investigates the role of melatonin and SRD5A2 in the proliferation and migration of human hair follicle stem cells (hHFSCs), which are important for treating Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA). By silencing SRD5A2 and treating hHFSCs with melatonin, researchers found a significant increase in cell proliferation and migration without inducing differentiation. The treatment also resulted in higher expression of melatonin receptor 1 (MT1) and lower levels of 5-alpha-reductase (5-αR). These findings indicate that melatonin and 5-αR are crucial in regulating hHFSCs, with SRD5A2 potentially influencing melatonin metabolism through MT1 expression. However, the exact mechanism by which melatonin reduces 5-αR levels is still unclear.