Chemotherapy Targets the Hair Follicle Vascular Network but Not the Stem Cells

The study found that the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin disrupted the blood vessel network associated with hair follicles in ND-GFP transgenic mice, leading to reduced vessel density and dystrophic hair follicles, which contributed to chemotherapy-induced alopecia. However, it did not affect hair-follicle stem cells, allowing for potential hair regrowth after chemotherapy. The research highlighted the role of inhibited angiogenesis in hair follicle dystrophy and alopecia, providing a model for studying the effects of chemotherapy on hair follicles and tumors.