Cause of male baldness found

Scientists have finally identified the culprits that are responsible for causing baldness in men. They are a enzyme known as prostaglandin D2, also known as PGD2 and its derivative (15-dPGJ2). Incidentally, the enzyme and its derivative were found to show the same effect in mice as well.

The results are published today (March 22) in Science Translational Medicine.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that the enzyme inhibits hair growth. In fact, its level “increases immediately preceding the regression phase,” they write. Its level in the scalp of balding men increases nearly three times compared to those who are not bald. “The absolute level of PGD2 [enzyme] was 16.3 ng/g tissue in balding scalp and 1.5 ng/g tissue in haired scalp,” the paper notes.