DNA Screening Test

DNA Screening Test

Early diagnosis and medical intervention in hair loss treatment is particularly important. If used early enough, some FDA approved treatments could slow down or even stop the shedding of hair. Unfortunately, hair loss is generally noticeable once the density of hair has decreased to %50 of the original density. Hair analyses could only help the physicians when telogen/anagen hair follicle ratio has exceeded a certain value.

Male Pattern Hair Loss (MPHL) is proposed as a multigenic disorder, but two genes are shown to be at the utmost importance of the prevalence of this condition. First one is the gene that encodes for 5-alpha-reductase enzyme, which is transmitted both from the father and the mother. The Androgen receptor gene is the second gene that is shown to be highly involved in Male Pattern Hair Loss. [1]

Since the androgen receptor gene is located on the X chromosome, it can only be inherited from the mother in male pattern hair loss. There are several studies done in Australia and Israel reporting the relevance of this gene with MPHL in Caucasian populations. [2,3]

As ASMED Hair Treatment Center, we believe in the importance of early intervention; that is why we are in collaboration on a scientific study with Istanbul Technical University Dr. Orhan Öcalgiray Molecular Biology – Biotechnology & Genetics Research Center (MOBGAM). The aim of this study is to elucidate any possible association between Male Pattern Baldness and a specific variation in androgen receptor gene in Turkish population. With the help of the information gathered from the results of this study, it might be possible to identify one’s risk and start preventive treatment earlier; thus avoiding the hair loss in the first place. This project is being carried out by ASMED, with the partnership of Assist. Prof. Alper Tunga Akarsubaşı (PhD) from MOBGAM and by the efforts of Sinem Karaman as the researcher, who is currently doing her PhD at Switzerland.

Application of the Test

The sample required for DNA isolation is taken via “buccal smear” technique, which is a painless procedure that takes one minute to apply. The molecular part -DNA isolation and PCR test for the identification of and the variation in androgen receptor gene from these samples- is being studied in I.T.U MOBGAM.

The thing that should be clearly stated here is that; the applied test is not a diagnostics test. This test only identifies the type of the variation that the individual carries, which then could be used to determine if the individual is in the high or low-risk group. The physician could use the information gained from this test and assess it together with the family history in order to start the treatment if the individual is in high-risk for hair loss. DNA screening tests are valuable tools for conducting reason-based studies in Turkey as well as in the world. It will remain as one of our major duties to keep on presenting promising studies and share the findings with you.

[1] Hillmer, A.M. et al. Genetic Variation in the Human Androgen Receptor Gene Is the Major Determinant of Common Early-Onset Androgenetic Alopecia. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 77 (2001),140–148.

[2] Hayes, V.M., and Severi, G., et al., (2005). The E211 G>A Androgen Receptor Polymorphism Is Associated with a Decreased Risk of Metastatic Prostate Cancer and Androgenetic Alopecia. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 14 (4), 993–996.

[3] Levy-Nissenbaum, E. et al., (2005). Confirmation of the association between male pattern baldness and the androgen receptor gene. Eur J Dermatol, 15 (5), 339–340.