Epidemiologic Study of Gene Distribution in Romanian and Brazilian Patients with Non-Cicatricial Alopecia
<i>Background</i>: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and alopecia areata (AA) are the most common types of non-cicatricial alopecia. Both diseases have limited effective therapeutic options and affect patient quality of life. Pharmacogenetic tests can help predict the most appropriate treatmen...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/9/1654 |
| Summary: | <i>Background</i>: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and alopecia areata (AA) are the most common types of non-cicatricial alopecia. Both diseases have limited effective therapeutic options and affect patient quality of life. Pharmacogenetic tests can help predict the most appropriate treatment option by evaluating the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) corresponding to genes related to alopecia. The objective of the study was to evaluate and compare selected SNPs and genes in AA and AGA patients from Romania and Brazil. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We performed a retrospective study regarding the associations between AA and AGA and 45 tag SNPs of 15 genes in 287 Romanian and 882 Brazilian patients. The DNA samples were collected from oral mucosa using a swab. The SNPs were determined by the qPCR technique. Each genetic test displays the subject’s genotype of the selected gene and the prediction of a successful treatment (e.g., genotype AA of the GR-alpha gene is related to a predisposition to normal sensibility to topical glucocorticoid, and, therefore, glucocorticoids should be effective). <i>Results</i>: The <i>GR-alpha</i>, <i>GPR44-2</i>, <i>SULT1A1</i>, and <i>CRABP2</i> genes were statistically significantly different in Brazil compared to Romania. The <i>SULT1A1</i> activity that predicts the response to minoxidil treatment showed in our analysis that minoxidil is recommended in half of the cases of AGA and AA. Patients with AGA and a high expression of <i>SRD5A1</i> or <i>PTGFR</i>-2 may benefit from Dutasteride or Latanoprost treatment, respectively. Most of the studied genes showed no differences between the two populations. <i>Conclusions</i>: The DNA analysis of the patients with alopecia may contribute to a successful treatment. |
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| ISSN: | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |