Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Androgenic Induced Alopecia in Adult Male Albino Rats versus Conventional Minoxidil Treatment

Abstract Background Androgenic alopecia (AGA) could be the most common form of hair loss in man. AGA could be associated with reduced quality of life. Might cause several psychological comorbidities such as depression, anxiety. There are two FDA approved medications for treatment of hair loss; minoxidil (antihypertensive & vasodilator) in addition to finasteride (a selective inhibitor of type II & III isoforms of 5α-reductase enzyme). Aim of Work The current study was performed to investigate the potential role of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB)-MSCs in aiding hair growth in AGA compared to conventional minoxidil treatment in adult male albino rats. Material and Methods Forty-eight adult male albino rats were used in the study. Rats were assigned into the following groups; control group that either received no treatment or daily subcutaneous injection of sesame oil (0.1 ml), AGA group in which rats received daily subcutaneous injection of testosterone in a dose of 2 mg/rat /day, AGA plus Minoxidil treatment group in which rats received testosterone injection as in group II in addition to 2% Minoxidil spray treatment, AGA plus hUCB-MSCs treatment group in which rats received testosterone injection in addition to dermal injection of 1 x105 cells /cm2 of stem cells. At the end of the experiment after 2 weeks, rats were sacrificed for paraffin blocks and stained with H & E and Masson’s Trichrome. Results Decrease in both total number of hair follicles and number of anagen hair follicles was noticed. There was an increase in mean number of the telogen hair follicles. There were increase in the catagen hair follicles with numerous fibrous streamers observed, with increased vellus hair number. Meanwhile, terminal hair number had been decreased in comparison to control group. There were cavitations in hairs and their sheaths, inter follicular cavitation, wavey collagen fiber deposition, perifollicular mononuclear cell infiltrate, and thinning of arrector pili muscle. Conclusion Stem cell therapy had superior efficacy over minoxidil in the treatment of AGA.