Aberrant Wnt Signaling Induces Comedo-Like Changes in the Murine Upper Hair Follicle

December 2021 in “ The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology ”

Wei Shang, Alvin Yong Quan Tan, Maurice A. M. Van Steensel, Xinhong Lim

Wnt signaling hair follicle sebaceous gland junctional zone cysts acne comedones sebaceous gland atrophy all-trans retinoic acid Hedgehog signaling inhibitors Wnt pathway HF SG JZ cysts atRA

TLDR Overactive Wnt signaling in mouse skin stem cells causes acne-like cysts and shrinking oil glands, which some treatments can partially fix.

The study investigates the effects of aberrant Wnt signaling on the upper hair follicle (HF) and sebaceous gland (SG) in mice, revealing that persistent activation of Wnt signaling leads to the formation of junctional zone (JZ) cysts resembling human acne comedones and causes sebaceous gland atrophy. Conversely, loss of Wnt signaling results in the enlargement of the JZ, infundibulum, and sebaceous glands. Treatments with all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) and Hedgehog signaling inhibitors partially mitigated these effects. The findings suggest that imbalances in Wnt signaling can induce pathologies similar to human acne, highlighting potential therapeutic targets. The study included data from 3-6 mice per group.

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