Special Topic·Alopecia and Hair Transplantation
A proteomics research on metabolism-related proteins in female androgenetic alopecia
Wang Ji’an, Lin Jinran, Li Haiyang, Yang Kai, Ni Chunya, Zhang Yue, Li Zheng, Zhu Yifei, Liu Qingmei, Wu Wenyu
Published 2024-01-25
Cite as Chin J Plast Surg, 2024, 40(1): 46-55. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn114453-20231201-00249
Abstract
ObjectiveTo investigate the metabolism-related proteins and their presence in the plasma of female androgenetic alopecia (FAGA) patients.
MethodsFrom March 2021 to March 2023, FAGA patients aged 18-50 (FAGA group) and healthy women (HC group) were recruited from the Dermatology Outpatient Department of Huashan Hospital. 3 ml of peripheral venous blood was collected from each participant and centrifuged to obtain plasma. Olink proteomics analysis was performed on the collected plasma, differentially expressed proteins were screened with R language, the diagnostic accuracy of the differentially expressed proteins was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Gene ontology (GO) analysis was performed on differentially expressed proteins. Immunofluorescence analysis on hair follicles in the parietal region of the FAGA group and the occipital region of the HC group was performed to validate the differentially expressed proteins identified. SPSS 25.0 software was used to analyze the data, with normal distribution metric data represented by Mean±SD. Student’s t-test was used to compare the basic information of two groups of subjects and the relative fluorescence intensity of differentially expressed proteins in hair follicles. Pearson correlation analysis was performed on plasma metabolism-related proteins and the basic information of subjects. P<0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference.
ResultsSixty-one cases were included in the FAGA group, with an average age of (33.8±7.4) years and an onset age of (29.5±7.8) years. Among them, 38 cases were mild FAGA, 14 cases were moderate, and 9 cases were severe. Twenty-seven cases were included in the HC group, with an average age of (32.0±7.7) years. There was no statistically significant difference in the basic information (age, body mass index, testosterone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, uric acid, and ferritin levels) between the two groups of subjects (P>0.05). Compared to the HC group, the plasma of the FAGA group showed 26 significantly upregulated differentially expressed proteins (P<0.05), with AHCY and NECTIN2 exhibiting the most significant differences (all P=0.003). The ROC curve evaluation revealed that the area under the curve for AHCY and NECTIN2 was greater than 0.7, indicating good diagnostic accuracy. The GO analysis revealed that the differentially expressed proteins were primarily enriched in the BAT3 complex (cellular component), ubiquitin-dependent ERAD pathway, natural killer cell activation (biological process), as well as ubiquitin protein ligase binding and ubiquitin-specific protease binding (molecular function). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that AHCY (r=-0.23, P=0.010) and NECTIN2 (r=-0.31, P=0.033) were negatively correlated with the severity of hair loss in FAGA patients. The results of hair follicle immunofluorescence analysis showed that the relative fluorescence intensity of AHCY and NECTIN2 in the FAGA group was higher than that in the HC group (P<0.05). In other words, both AHCY and NECTIN2 were upregulated in the FAGA group.
ConclusionMetabolism-related proteins play an important role in FAGA. AHCY and NECTIN2 may serve as early diagnostic biomarkers for FAGA.
Key words:
Alopecia; Female androgenetic alopecia; Proteomics; Diagnosis
Contributor Information
Wang Ji’an
Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Dermatology, Shanghai 200040, China
Lin Jinran
Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Dermatology, Shanghai 200040, China
Li Haiyang
Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Dermatology, Shanghai 200040, China
Yang Kai
Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Dermatology, Shanghai 200040, China
Ni Chunya
Department of Dermatology, Jing’an District Central Hospital, Shanghai 200040, China
Zhang Yue
Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Dermatology, Shanghai 200040, China
Li Zheng
Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Dermatology, Shanghai 200040, China
Zhu Yifei
Department of Dermatology, Jing’an District Central Hospital, Shanghai 200040, China
Liu Qingmei
Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Dermatology, Shanghai 200040, China
Wu Wenyu
Department of Dermatology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Dermatology, Shanghai 200040, China
Department of Dermatology, Jing’an District Central Hospital, Shanghai 200040, China
Fudan University Institute of Engineering and Applied Technology, Shanghai 200433, China
±s表示，2组受试者基本资料比较、毛囊中差异蛋白相对荧光强度比较采用t检验；对血浆中代谢相关蛋白与受试者基本资料行Pearson相关分析。P<0.05为差异有统计学意义。
