Compositions and methods for the use of inhibitory nucleic acids, for example small inhibitory ribonucleic acids (siRNA), to adjust, manipulate, prevent, inhibit, interfere, or block the
androgen signal transduction pathway in a host
cell, for example in a host's
hair cell are provided. Aspects of the disclosure provide compositions and methods for interfering with the
androgen signal transduction pathway by down regulating the expression of proteins involved in the
androgen signal transduction pathway. Exemplary
gene targets encoding proteins involved in the androgen
signal transduction pathway include but are not limited to isozymes I and II of 5-α
reductase, the
androgen receptor,
aromatase, 3-α-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase, 3-β-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase , 3-β-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase-4-5-
isomerase, 17-β-hydroxysteroidoxidoreductase, and
steroid sulfatase. In some aspects, the inhibitory nucleic acids, for example siRNAs, interfere with the expression of targeted genes by preventing, reducing, or inhibiting the translation of mRNA transcribed from the targeted
gene.