Remission of Hair Loss and Induction of Hair Regrowth by Botulinum Neurotoxin A in Mice

The document reports on a study where botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BONT/A) was used to prevent hair loss and promote hair regrowth in mice suffering from alopecia areata. The study utilized C57BL/6 (B6) and B6 × 129Sv mouse substrains that typically begin losing hair around the 3rd to 4th month of age. The mice received a single subcutaneous microinjection of BoNT/A (15 pg/mouse) into the alopecic area, which resulted in a significant, long-lasting reduction of hair loss and stimulation of hair follicle regeneration. The researchers suggest that BoNT/A may inhibit hair loss and induce hair regrowth by blocking the release of pro-inflammatory factors responsible for neurogenic inflammation. They propose that BoNT/A could potentially be useful in treating various forms of alopecia, including androgenetic alopecia, stress-induced hair loss, hair loss caused by autoimmune pathologies or chemotherapies, and hormonal dysfunctions. Further research is needed to expand knowledge on this topic.