Comparative Studies on Polyamine Levels in Plasma and Urine of Androgenic Alopecia Patients Treated with Finasteride for a Period of Three Years

Author(s): Yu Ra Lee, Woo Young Sim, Jongki Hong, Bark Lynn Lew, Bong Chul Chung

Abstract

Androgenic alopecia, characterized by hair loss, has been correlated with high androgen levels, especially dihydrotestosterone. Finasteride treatment inhibits 5-alpha reductase and blocks dihydrotestosterone production. Further, dihydrotestosterone inhibits hair cell proliferation. Polyamines are closely associated with proliferation. We aimed to identify differences in polyamine levels in plasma and urine samples from patients with androgenic alopecia receiving finasteride treatment for three years. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to quantify polyamines. Plasma samples were derivatized with dansyl chloride; urine samples were derivatized with isobutyl chloroformate. Patient plasma and urinary polyamine concentrations were followed up annually. There were significantly higher plasma levels of spermidine (P value, 0.01) and N-acetyl spermine (P value, 0.03) between baseline and baseline after one year (total two year) of finasteride treatment. After two years of treatment at baseline (total three years of treatment), plasma levels of 1,3-diaminopropane (P value, 0.005) and N-acetyl spermidine (P value, 0.01) were significantly higher than one year of treatment at baseline (total two years of treatment). However, there were no significant differences observed in urine samples. Our findings suggest that treatment with finasteride alters plasma polyamine concentrations but not urine polyamine concentrations. Different aspects in polyamine metabolites were detected between the urine and plasma samples following finasteride treatment. Our approach can be used to recognize the therapeutic effects of finasteride through polyamine metabolism.