ABSTRACT
To investigate the expression of androgen receptor (AR) in affected area of androgenetic alopecia (AA) and the relationship between its expression and various syndromes of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). [Me- thods ]Eighty cases of AA were classified as damp-heat syndrome of spleen and stomach and deficiency syndrome of liver and kidney. Expression level of AR in the alopecia scalp and non-alopecia scalp of the cases was detected with immunohistochemical method and was compared with 32 healthy volunteers.In the cases of AA, AR expression was positive in the granulocyte layer, spinous layer and basal layer of epiderm as well as in the fibroblast, vascular endothelial cells, nerve tissue, arrectores pilorum, sweat gland, sebaceous gland, hair root sheath and hair papilla of dermis;but it was negative in horny layer of epiderm, subcutaneous fat, internal root sheath, hair shaft cells and hair matrocytes. The total AR-positive rate and the AR-positive rate in epiderm, sweat gland, sebaceous gland, hair root sheath and hair papilla were higher in the alopecia scalp of the cases than those in non-alopecia scalp of the cases and in healthy volunteers (P0.05).[Conclusion]AR is related to the pathogenesis of AA and the local abnormal AR content may be one of the pathogenic factors of AA. Pathological feature and AR expression differ with the syndrome patterns: AR expression rate is higher in AA with damp-heat of spleen and stomach than those with deficiency of liver and kidney.