Consumption of Fish Oil High-Fat Diet Induces Murine Hair Loss via Epidermal Fatty Acid Binding Protein in Skin Macrophages

The study found that a high-fat diet (HFD) rich in fish oil induces hair loss in mice through a mechanism involving epidermal fatty acid binding protein (E-FABP) in skin macrophages. The fish oil HFD led to increased infiltration of CD207− macrophages in the skin, which produced high levels of TNF-α, a cytokine that inhibits hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) activity. Blocking TNF-α with an antibody reversed the hair loss, highlighting its role in this process. The study also identified that n-3 fatty acids (FAs) in the diet activated ROS/IL-36 signaling in skin macrophages via E-FABP, promoting macrophage infiltration and TNF-α production. These findings suggest that while n-3 FAs are generally considered beneficial, their overconsumption can lead to adverse effects like hair loss.