Untargeted Metabolomics and Steroid Signatures in Urine of Male Pattern Baldness Patients after Finasteride Treatment for a Year.

Yu Ra Lee,Jeongae Lee,Haksoon Kim,Eunju Im,Jongki Hong,Bark Lynn Lew,Bong Chul Chung,Han Bin Oh,Ki Jung Paeng,Woo-Young Sim

doi:10.3390/metabo10040131

Abstract

Male pattern baldness (MPB) has been associated with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) expression. Finasteride treats MPB by inhibiting 5-alpha reductase and blocking DHT production. In this study, we aimed to identify metabolic differences in urinary metabolomics profiles between MPB patients after a one-year treatment with finasteride and healthy controls. Untargeted and targeted metabolomics profiling was performed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). We hypothesized that there would be changes in overall metabolite concentrations, especially steroids, in the urine of hair loss patients treated with finasteride and normal subjects. Untargeted analysis indicated differences in steroid hormone biosynthesis. Therefore, we conducted targeted profiling for steroid hormone biosynthesis to identify potential biomarkers, especially androgens and estrogens. Our study confirmed the differences in the concentration of urinary androgens and estrogens between healthy controls and MPB patients. Moreover, the effect of finasteride was confirmed by the DHT/T ratio in urine samples of MPB patients. Our metabolomics approach provided insight into the physiological alterations in MPB patients who have been treated with finasteride for a year and provided evidence for the association of finasteride and estrogen levels. Through a targeted approach, our results suggest that urinary estrogens must be studied in relation to MPB and post-finasteride syndrome.

Highlights

Androgenic alopecia, a condition pertaining to hair loss in men, is called male pattern baldness (MPB)
Qualitative profiling via untargeted metabolomics conducted using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS) indicated multiple differentially regulated pathways between MPB patients who have been treated with finasteride for a year and the normal control group
We attempted a new metabolomics approach for MPB patients treated with finasteride for a year for the first time

Summary

Introduction

Androgenic alopecia, a condition pertaining to hair loss in men, is called male pattern baldness (MPB). As a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme 5α-reductase II, finasteride lacks affinity to the androgen receptor [4] and decreases the DHT level in scalp hair and serum samples [5,6]. We performed an analysis of the changes in androgen profiles between MPB patients who took finasteride for five months and healthy controls in hair and plasma samples and the decreased ratio of DHT/T in MPB patients [11]. Based on these preliminary studies, we investigated the changes in the androgen profiles of urine samples between MPB patients who took finasteride for one year and normal controls. Increased estrogen levels can cause sexual side effects reported for 1 mg/daily use of finasteride in men with androgenetic alopecia

Objectives

Results

Conclusion