CCN2 modulates hair follicle cycling in mice

The 2013 study "CCN2 modulates hair follicle cycling in mice" by Shangxi Liu and Andrew Leask found that the protein CCN2 plays a significant role in hair follicle regeneration. The researchers discovered that CCN2 acts as a suppressor of hair follicle formation by destabilizing ß-catenin, a protein that regulates cell growth. When CCN2 was removed in mice, the length of the telogen phase (resting phase of hair growth) was shortened, and the number of hair follicles increased. The absence of CCN2 also led to a rise in K15-positive epidermal stem cells with increased ß-catenin levels, suggesting that CCN2 normally maintains stem cell quiescence. The study also found that CCN2 blocks Wnt3a binding to the Wnt receptor LRP6, indicating that CCN2 typically suppresses hair follicle cycling. The findings suggest potential future use of CCN2 agonists/antagonists to alter hair stem cell function and hair regeneration.