JAK2 Expression in Androgenetic Alopecia Before and After Topical Minoxidil

Assessment of Janus Kinase 2 Expression in Patients With Androgenic Alopecia and Its Modulation by Topical Minoxidil Therapy.

Androgenetic alopecia is a common form of progressive hair loss. This prospective single-arm pre-post interventional study aims to assess tissue Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) expression in patients with androgenetic alopecia by comparing balding and non-balding scalp at baseline, and to evaluate changes in JAK2 expression in balding scalp after 3 months of topical minoxidil 5% therapy. Clinical response will be assessed using standardized trichoscopic parameters.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Androgenetic Alopecia; Androgenic Alopecia
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Topical Minoxidil 5% Solution; Procedure: Scalp Punch Biopsy; Diagnostic test: Tissue JAK2 Protein Measurement by ELISA

Detailed Description

This study will recruit 25 adult patients aged 18 to 50 years with mild to moderate androgenetic alopecia attending the Dermatology outpatient clinic, Cairo University Hospital. At baseline, participants will undergo clinical evaluation, standardized photography, and trichoscopic assessment. Three 2 mm scalp punch biopsies will be obtained over the course of the study: one from the balding scalp area and one from the non-balding scalp area at baseline, and one from the balding area after 3 months of therapy. Tissue JAK2 protein levels will be measured by ELISA. Participants will receive topical minoxidil 5% solution for 3 months (1 cc twice daily for men and once daily for women). The primary endpoint is the comparison of tissue JAK2 levels between balding and non-balding scalp at baseline. Secondary analyses will assess change in JAK2 levels after treatment and correlations with clinical improvement by trichoscopy.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 25
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Heba Ahmed; Phone Number: +201016532351; Email: heba.a.abdelgayed@kasralainy.edu.eg

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Cairo Governorate
    • Cairo, Cairo Governorate, Egypt, 11555
      • Recruiting
      • Kasr El Aini Hospital
      • Contact: Heba Ahmed, Lecturer of Dermatology; Phone Number: +201016532351; Email: drhebaahmedyt@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male adults aged 18 to 50 years with androgenetic alopecia.
• Mild to moderate disease severity, defined as Hamilton-Norwood scale II to V.
• Patients who are treatment-naive or willing to undergo an adequate washout period for prior hair loss therapies of at least 1 month.
• Willing and able to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other types of hair loss, including inflammatory or scarring alopecia.
• Inflammatory scalp dermatoses, such as psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis.
• Use of systemic immunosuppressants, JAK inhibitors, or systemic corticosteroids within the last 12 months.
• History of severe systemic disease, including renal, cardiovascular, or hepatic disease.
• Chemotherapy during the last 5 years.
• Bleeding disorders.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Topical Minoxidil 5% With Scalp Biopsy and JAK2 Assessment; Participants with androgenetic alopecia will undergo baseline clinical and trichoscopic assessment, baseline 2 mm punch scalp biopsies from balding and non-balding areas for tissue JAK2 protein measurement by ELISA, treatment with topical minoxidil 5% for 12 weeks, and a repeat 2 mm punch biopsy from the balding scalp after treatment for repeat JAK2 assessment.

Drug: Topical Minoxidil 5% Solution; Topical minoxidil 5% solution applied to the affected scalp areas for 12 weeks. Men will apply 1 cc twice daily and women will apply 1 cc once daily.; Procedure: Scalp Punch Biopsy; Three 2 mm punch biopsies will be obtained during the study: one from the balding scalp area and one from the non-balding scalp area at baseline, and one from the balding scalp area after 12 weeks of treatment.; Diagnostic test: Tissue JAK2 Protein Measurement by ELISA; Tissue samples obtained from scalp punch biopsies will be analyzed for Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) protein levels using ELISA at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Baseline Difference in Tissue JAK2 Protein Levels Between Balding and Non-Balding Scalp	Comparison of tissue Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) protein levels measured by ELISA in scalp biopsy specimens obtained at baseline from the balding area (vertex) and the non-balding area (occipital scalp) of participants with androgenetic alopecia.	Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Tissue JAK2 Protein Levels in Balding Scalp After 12 Weeks of Topical Minoxidil	Change in tissue Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) protein levels measured by ELISA in scalp biopsy specimens obtained from the balding scalp area at baseline and again after 12 weeks of topical minoxidil 5% treatment.	Baseline to Week 12
Change in Trichoscopic Hair Parameters After 12 Weeks of Treatment	Change in trichoscopic parameters from baseline to Week 12, including hair density, terminal hair density, vellus hair density, average hair thickness, follicular unit density, percentage of single, double, and triple-or-more hairs per follicular unit, and average number of hairs per follicular unit.	Baseline to Week 12
Correlation Between Change in Tissue JAK2 Levels and Clinical Response	Correlation between the change in tissue JAK2 protein levels after treatment and the degree of clinical improvement assessed by trichoscopic parameters and baseline clinical characteristics.	Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kasr El Aini Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 25, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: JAK2; Androgenic Alopecia; minoxidil; Janus Kinase 2
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Skin Diseases; Hypotrichosis; Hair Diseases; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Alopecia; Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Piperidines; Pyrimidines; Minoxidil; Solutions
• Other Study ID Numbers: MS-655-2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared because this is a single-center study with a small sample size, and de-identification cannot be fully guaranteed. Aggregate results, including summary statistics and outcome analyses, will be made available through publication

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No