Gasdermin A3-Mediated Cell Death Causes Niche Collapse and Precocious Activation of Hair Follicle Stem Cells

The study investigated the role of Gasdermin A3 (Gsdma3) in hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) dynamics using a mouse model with Gsdma3 overexpression. Researchers found that Gsdma3-mediated cell death disrupted the hair follicle cycle by causing premature activation of HFSCs and niche collapse, leading to hair follicle degeneration. Despite the recruitment of immune cells to the affected area, topical immunosuppressants did not prevent cell death, indicating that the hair loss was not immune-mediated. The findings suggested that Gsdma3-induced cell necrosis directly caused hair shedding and immediate re-entry into the anagen phase, bypassing the telogen phase, highlighting Gsdma3's role in maintaining the HFSC niche.