Glycyrrhizic Acid Attenuates Stem Cell-Like Phenotypes of Human Dermal Papilla Cells

The study investigated the effects of glycyrrhizic acid on human dermal papilla cells, which are crucial for hair growth. It was found that glycyrrhizic acid significantly reduced the stem cell-like properties of these cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This reduction was linked to the interruption of the ATP-dependent tyrosine kinase/glycogen synthase kinase 3β pathway, leading to the down-regulation of the β-catenin signaling pathway and decreased expression of self-renewal transcription factors such as Oct-4, Nanog, Sox2, ZEB1, and Snail. These findings suggested that glycyrrhizic acid could be used to suppress unwanted hair growth by targeting the stemness of dermal papilla cells.