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 isozmes I and II OF 5-α reductase, the androgen receptor, aromatase, 3-α-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase, 3-β-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase, 3-β-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase-4-5isomerase, 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 target gene.
