Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42439449›Full record

SynthesisCell transplantation

The central role of fibroblasts in androgenic alopecia: A systematic umbrella review.

Shanshan Yu, Jie Ji, Yingying Wu, Jingyun Li, Hui Yan, Yongfang Xu, Yutong Shi, Jun Li

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Cell transplantation. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Shanshan YuDepartment of Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital), Nanjing, China.
Jie JiDepartment of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Yingying WuDepartment of Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital), Nanjing, China.ORCID 0009-0004-2493-3718
Jingyun LiNanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Institute, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital), Nanjing, China.
Hui YanDepartment of Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital), Nanjing, China.
Yongfang XuDepartment of Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital), Nanjing, China.
Yutong ShiDepartment of Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital), Nanjing, China.
Jun LiDepartment of Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital), Nanjing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BackgroundAndrogenic alopecia (AGA) is a common hair follicle miniaturization disease driven by androgens. Fibroblasts, especially dermal papilla (DP) cells, are considered the core of the pathogenesis of AGA, but there is a lack of systematic synthesis of evidence.ObjectiveTo systematically review the role of fibroblasts (DP cells and dermal sheath cells) in the pathogenesis of AGA, with a focus on androgen signaling transduction, paracrine signaling, disruption of stem cell niche, inflammation, and fibrosis.Data sourcesPubMed and Web of Science, covering the period from August 23, 2025 to May 28, 2026, including human basic research, animal model studies, and clinical pathology studies related to AGA fibroblast function. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias.ResultThrough retrieval, a total of 1592 articles were identified, and 43 articles were ultimately included. DP cells consistently express high levels of androgen receptor (AR) and 5α-reductase type II. Activation of androgens (dihydrotestosterone) in DP cells leads to: (1) downregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and upregulation of TGF-β/BMP pathway; (2) Changes in secretion profile (decrease in VEGF/IGF-1 and increase in DKK-1/TGF-β1); (3) DP cell aggregation behavior is impaired; (4) Destruction of hair follicle stem cell activation; (5) Inducing inflammation and fibrosis around hair follicles. The evidence for dermal sheath cells as a DP cell bank is still limited.ConclusionDP cells are the main transducers of androgen signaling in AGA, driving follicle miniaturization through multiple interrelated mechanisms. The current evidence supports DP cell dysfunction as a therapeutic strategy.

Indexed as

AlopeciaFibroblastsAndrogensAnimalsHair FollicleHumansAndrogensandrogenetic alopeciacell therapydermal papillafibroblasthair follicle stem cell

Identifiers

PMID42439449
PMCPMC13365651

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.