Omics & gene networks

A pig Model for Androgenetic Alopecia: Development and Efficacy Assessment

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Abstract

Livestock hair traits are important in animal husbandry. Beyond implications for animal health and breed improvement, employing livestock as model organisms for hair research may offer novel perspectives for livestock production. This study establishes an androgenetic alopecia (AGA) model based on porcine hair development patterns, aiming to explore the feasibility of pigs as hair disease models. In this study, six sexually mature, four-month-old male inbred Bama minipigs were randomly allocated into control and treatment groups (n=3). Pigs in the treatment group received subcutaneous injections of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) solution in the dorsal region, while the control group received only the DHT-free solvent. After 4 weeks, the skin area surrounding the injection site on each pig was physically depilated to synchronize hair follicles (HF) into a new growth cycle. Pre-depilation interventions were maintained until the end of the experiment. Skin samples collected at sequential time points during the new cycle (days 14, 28, 35, 42, and 56 post-depilation) were processed for H&E staining. Hair density and morphology were used to evaluate modeling effectiveness. Additionally, at the experimental endpoint, systemic organs such as skin, testes, and epididymis were collected for pathological examination and transcriptome sequencing to evaluate the systemic effects of the model. At day 14 post-depilation (P14), the treatment group displayed no visible hair regrowth compared to the distinct hair coverage in controls. Until to P56, although hair growth was observed in the treatment group, both hair diameter and hair length remained significantly lower than control group. HF phenotypic analysis revealed significant reductions in HF length, HF diameter, and dermal papilla size were observed in treated animals, demonstrating severe HF miniaturization during the new growth cycle. These findings collectively align with features of AGA. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a total of 22 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in skin tissues between the treatment and control groups. Among these, genes significantly downregulated in the treatment group included COL1A1/A2, BMP2, and FSTL5, which are involved in the regulation of the HF microenvironment and HF cycle. Furthermore, a number of DEGs were identified in the testis (1,003 DEGs), epididymis (1,503 DEGs), and bulbourethral gland (1,816 DEGs), indicating potential effects on material and energy metabolic pathways in the gonads. This study established and validated a novel porcine model for androgenetic alopecia, which not only provides a valuable resource for hair research but also bridges the gap between fundamental medical research and practical applications in animal husbandry, thereby promoting diversified development in the livestock industry.

Keywords: 2026

How to Cite:

Lin, C., Li, R., Wang, K., Zheng, Y. & Ding, X., (2026) “A pig Model for Androgenetic Alopecia: Development and Efficacy Assessment”, World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production Digital Archive 2026(1): 2284532. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/wcgalp.23577

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