Claudin-1 and Claudin-3 Maintain Proper Hair Follicle Structure and Regulate Telogen Effluvium

The document from 2018 investigated the importance of Claudin-1 and Claudin-3 in hair follicle integrity and their role in preventing telogen effluvium, a type of hair loss. Using immunohistochemical staining on murine hair follicles, the study found that these proteins are located in specific regions of the hair follicle, including the inner bulge cell layer and sebaceous gland. Mice with knockdowns of either Claudin-1 or Claudin-3 had normal hair, but those with both proteins knocked down experienced significant hair loss during their first telogen phase, with a disorganized and enlarged bulge region. This suggests that Claudin-1 and Claudin-3 are essential for maintaining hair follicle cell structure and alignment, and could be targets for alopecia treatment.