Assessment of Zinc and Copper Contents in the Hair and Serum and Also Superoxide Dismutase, Glutathion Peroxidase and Malondi Aldehyde in Serum in Androgenetic Alopecia and Alopecia Areata

Abstract

Alopecia areata (AA) is a recurrent nonscarring type of hair loss that can affect any hair-bearing area. Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) or male pattern hair loss is a very common condition that has a significant psychosocial impact for patients. There are claims that imbalance of trace elements may trigger the onset of alopecia. The aim of this research was to assess the level of zinc, copper contents in the hair and level of lipid peroxidation as super oxide dismutase, Glutathion peroxidase and malon di aldehyde in serum in androgenic and areata alpecia. The prospective study was conducted in department of Dermatology of Sina Hospital and Biochemistry department of Tabriz University of medical science. The study population consists of 27 patients with alopecia areata and 27 patients with androgenetic alopecia. 27 age and sex matched healthy control subjects were studied. The level of zinc, copper contents in the hair and serum and level of lipid peroxidation as super oxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathion peroxidase(GPX-Px) and malon di aldehyde (MDA) in serum in androgenetic, areata alpecia and healthy control subjects were measured in all samples. The collected data were statistically analyzed, using SPSS. The duration of hair loss varied between 1-240 month among patients with alopecia areata and 6-180 month among patients with androgenetic alopecia. The mean of hair zinc level in AA patients, AGA patients and controls were 98.33 mu g/dl, 105.35 mu g/dl and 129.52 mu g/dl. The mean level of hair copper level in study and control groups were, 7.91, 7.25 and 10.34. The mean of serum level of SOD, MDA and GPX-Px in study and control groups were (1945.25, 1861.57 and 2296.77), (3.64, 3.49 and 1.62) and (129.11, 118.84 and 138.74). Zinc and copper contents of hair and serum were significantly lower among patients with alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia compared to controls (P<0.05). The serum level of SOD, GPX-Px were significantly lower and level of MDA were higher among patients with alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia compared to controls (P<0.05). These results suggest that low levels of zinc and copper of hair and serum and lipid peroxidation and alterations in the oxidant-antioxidant enzymatic system (SOD, GPX-Px) with high level of MDA at serum may play a role in the pathogenesis of AA and AGA.