Application of platelet-rich plasma lysate combined with hyaluronic acid microneedles for the treatment of alopecia.

Abstract

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) continues to pose a significant challenge due to the paucity of effective therapeutic options. Upon lysis, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) releases numerous growth factors (GFs), which facilitate tissue reconstruction and hair regeneration. However, concerns such as infection, bleeding, local erythema, and patient anxiety associated with injections have substantially diminished patient acceptance. To address these issues, we developed a microneedle (MN) system loaded with PRP lysate (PL), termed PL-MN, designed to deliver GFs transdermal to sites of hair loss without inducing significant discomfort. The PL-MN not only exhibits a well-defined needle structure but also demonstrates excellent in vivo penetration and external transdermal efficacy. Upon skin penetration, the needle matrix rapidly dissolves, releasing GFs directly to the target site. In animal tests, the PL-MN shows synergistic effects by orchestrating an upregulation in the expression of Ki67 and CD31, which collectively foster cell proliferation and migration, thereby facilitating the expedited progression of hair follicles (HFs) into the anagen phase and promoting peripheral angiogenesis. Compared with minoxidil, the first-line clinical drug for treating AGA (administered once per day, 20 times in total), the PL-loaded MN could induce hair regeneration in mice with a lower frequency of administration (once every 3 days, 5 times in total). Consequently, such a safe and GFs-releasing MNs patch shows great potential for clinical AGA treatment.