Erythropoietin Induces Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 from Three-Dimensional Culture of Human Dermal Papilla Cells

The study demonstrated that erythropoietin (EPO) induced the production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) from three-dimensional cultured human dermal papilla cells, which played a crucial role in hair shaft elongation in cultured human hair follicles. EPO stimulated dermal papilla cells expressing EPO receptors, leading to increased IGF-1 expression, promoting hair growth. The findings supported previous studies on EPO's role in hair growth and highlighted enhanced effects when delivered by EPO-producing human mesenchymal stromal cells in a murine model. The study involved scalp specimens from 3 male patients, and the results were statistically significant, suggesting EPO's potential in hair growth treatments.