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The role of androgen and androgen receptor in skin-related disorders

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Abstract

Androgen and androgen receptor (AR) may play important roles in several skin-related diseases, such as androgenetic alopecia and acne vulgaris. Current treatments for these androgen/AR-involved diseases, which target the synthesis of androgens or prevent its binding to AR, can cause significant adverse side effects. Based on the recent studies using AR knockout mice, it has been suggested that AR and androgens play distinct roles in the skin pathogenesis, and AR seems to be a better target than androgens for the treatment of these skin diseases. Here, we review recent studies of androgen/AR roles in several skin-related disorders, including acne vulgaris, androgenetic alopecia and hirsutism, as well as cutaneous wound healing.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Karen Wolf for help in preparing the manuscript. This work was supported by George Whipple Professorship Endowment, NIH grant DK73414, and Department of Health Clinical Trial and Research Center of Excellence grant DOH99-TD-B-111-004 to China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. George Whipple Lab for Cancer Research, Departments of Pathology and Urology and The Wilmot Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Box 626, URMC, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA

    Jiann-Jyh Lai, Philip Chang, Kuo-Pao Lai, Lumin Chen & Chawnshang Chang

  2. Sex Hormone Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan

    Lumin Chen & Chawnshang Chang

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  1. Jiann-Jyh Lai
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  2. Philip Chang
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Correspondence to Chawnshang Chang.

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Lai, JJ., Chang, P., Lai, KP. et al. The role of androgen and androgen receptor in skin-related disorders. Arch Dermatol Res 304, 499–510 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-012-1265-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-012-1265-x

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