Extracellular Proteoglycan Decorin Maintains Human Hair Follicle Stem Cells

The study conducted on October 15, 2018, found that decorin (DCN), an extracellular matrix proteoglycan, is highly expressed in the bulge region of human hair follicles and plays a crucial role in maintaining hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). The researchers discovered that with aging, there is a decrease in both DCN expression and the number of KRT15-positive HFSCs. In vitro experiments demonstrated that a reduction in DCN led to HFSC differentiation, while DCN-coated plates preserved the undifferentiated state of HFSCs. The study concluded that the age-related decline in DCN might contribute to the decrease in HFSCs and potentially to age-related hair loss, suggesting that DCN could be a therapeutic target for preventing hair loss associated with aging.