Hair is a negative for many men – and women – because a person’s hairstyle is associated with self-confidence. And while some people accept it, others want to be able to grow the lost locks. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Nano Letters have used artificial intelligence (AI) to predict compounds that can eliminate (A new needle patch to restore hair in bald mice) baldness caused by reactive oxygen species in the scalp. Using the best candidate, they developed a micro needle proof that shows and successfully restores mouse hair.
Many people with large amounts of hair suffer from androgenic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness. In this case, androgens, inflammation, or an excess of reactive oxygen species, can damage the hair, such as free oxygen radicals. When oxygen free radical levels are too high, they can overwhelm the body’s antioxidant enzymes that normally control them. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is one such enzyme, and researchers have developed SOD mimics called “nanozymes.” But so far, these are reported to be ineffective in removing oxygen-producing substances. So Lina Wang, Zhiling Zhu and their colleagues wanted to see if machine learning, a type of AI, could help them create a better nanozyme to treat hair loss.
The researchers chose transition metal (A new needle patch to restore hair in bald mice) thiophosphate compounds as potential catalysts for nanozymes. They tested a machine learning model with 91 different combinations of transition metals, phosphates and sulfates, and those methods predicted that MnPS3 would have the strongest SOD capacity. Then, MnPS3 nanosheets are produced from the water transport of manganese, red phosphorus and sulfur powder. In initial tests with human skin fibroblast cells, the nanosheets significantly reduced reactive oxygen species without causing damage.
Based on these results, the team prepared MnPS3 microneedle patches and treated mouse models of androgenic alopecia with them. Within 13 days, the animals regrew longer hairs that covered their scalps than mice treated with testosterone or minoxidil. The researchers say that their two studies have developed a nanozyme treatment for hair growth and demonstrate the potential of a mathematical model that will be used in the design of nanozyme treatments in the future.
