Genetic prediction of male pattern baldness

Male pattern baldness can have substantial psychosocial effects, and it has been phenotypically linked to adverse health outcomes such as prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease.We explored the genetic architecture of the trait using data from over 52,000 male participants of UK Biobank, aged 40-69 years.We identified over 250 independent genetic loci associated with severe hair loss (P<5x10 -8 ).By splitting the cohort into a discovery sample of 40,000 and target sample of 12,000, we developed a prediction algorithm based entirely on common genetic variants that discriminated (AUC = 0.78, sensitivity = 0.74, specificity = 0.69, PPV = 59%, NPV = 82%) those with no hair loss from those with severe hair loss.The results of this study might help identify those at greatest risk of hair loss, and also potential genetic targets for intervention. Author summaryLiving with male pattern baldness can be stressful and embarrassing.Previous studies have shown baldness to have a complex genetic architecture, with particularly strong signals on the X chromosome.However, these studies have been limited by small sample sizes.Here, we present the largest genome-wide study of baldness to date, using data from over 52,000 male participants in the UK Biobank study.We identify over 200 novel findings.We also split our dataset in two to build and apply a genetic predictor of baldness.Of those with a polygenic score below the median, 14% had severe hair loss and 39% no hair loss.By contrast, of those with a polygenic score in the top 10%, 58% reported moderate-to-severe hair loss.