Hair Follicle-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Decrease Alopecia Areata Mouse Hair Loss and Reduce Inflammation Around the Hair Follicle

October 2021 in “ Stem Cell Research & Therapy ”

Weiyue Deng, Yuying Zhang, Wei Wang, Aishi Song, Omar Mukama, Jingmin Huang, Xiaobo Han, Simin Deng, Zuoxian Lin, Jean du Dieu Habimana, Rongqi Huang, Kexin Peng, Bing Ni, Shusheng Zhang, Xiao‐Xin Yan, Ji Li, Lin Wu, Zhiyuan Li

hair follicle-derived mesenchymal stem cells alopecia areata interferon-γ in vitro in vivo C3H/HeJ mice Ki67 caspase1 MHC I HF-MSCs AA IFN-γ lab model live model immune response markers

Studysummary This study reports that hair follicle-derived mesenchymal stem cells significantly reduced hair loss and inflammation in alopecia areata models, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The research investigated the effects of hair follicle-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HF-MSCs) on alopecia areata (AA), a hair loss condition, in mice. The study involved both in vitro and in vivo models. In the in vitro model, mouse vibrissa follicles were pre-treated with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) to induce AA-like symptoms. Co-culturing these follicles with HF-MSCs for 2 days relieved these symptoms. In the in vivo model, skin grafted C3H/HeJ AA mice were injected with 106 HF-MSCs once a week for 3 weeks. This significantly decreased hair loss and reduced inflammation around the hair follicle. The HF-MSC treatment also upregulated the expression of Ki67, a protein associated with cell proliferation, and suppressed the expression of caspase1 and MHC I, inflammation and immune response markers. The study suggests that HF-MSCs could potentially be used as a treatment for AA.

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