Analysis of Dermal Papilla Cell Interactome Using STRING Database to Profile the Ex Vivo Hair Growth Inhibition Effect of a Vinca Alkaloid Drug, Colchicine

In the 2015 study, researchers explored the impact of colchicine (CLC) on hair growth by examining its effects on dermal papilla cells (DPCs). They discovered that CLC significantly inhibited hair fiber elongation in cultured rat hair follicles and altered DPC morphology, including down-regulation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and induction of IKBα phosphorylation. Proteomic analysis showed that CLC modulated the expression of 24 proteins in DPCs, with 7 down-regulated and 17 up-regulated, affecting protein turnover, metabolism, structure, and signal transduction. The STRING database revealed protein-protein interactions, highlighting the ubiquitin-proteasome system, with ubiquitin C (UbC) as a central hub, as a potential pathway involved in CLC's pathogenic effects on DPCs. The study concluded that CLC's impact on DPC activity could contribute to the inhibition of hair shaft formation and subsequent hair loss.