Dual Effects of HA-iMSC-Exosomes in Human Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells on Androgenic Alopecia in Vitro Model

The study demonstrates that exosomes from hyaluronic acid-primed induced mesenchymal stem cells (HA-iMSC-exosomes) can counteract the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a main cause of androgenetic alopecia (AGA), a common type of progressive hair loss. The HA-iMSC-exosomes were found to restore the decreased proliferation and migration of hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPC) induced by DHT. They also increased the mRNA expression of Insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), while decreasing the expression of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFβ1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The HA-iMSC-exosomes also downregulated the androgenic receptor (AR) message and restored the Wnt/β-Catenin pathway, which was inhibited by DHT. These results suggest that HA-iMSC-exosomes can maintain the anagen phase of hair growth and promote hair growth by regulating growth factors and cytokines, as well as restoring AR-related Wnt/β-catenin signaling.