HIF1A Stabilization in the Human Hair Follicle Promotes Glycolysis

    May 2018 in “ Journal of Investigative Dermatology ”
    K.F. Shah, Michael Davis, Michael P. Philpott
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    TLDR Stabilizing HIF1A in hair follicles increases glycolysis, which may help reduce oxidative stress and support hair growth.
    The study investigated the role of HIF1A stabilization in enhancing glycolysis in the outer root sheath (ORS) keratinocytes of the human hair follicle, which is naturally hypoxic and relies on aerobic glycolysis. Immunostaining revealed the presence of HIF1A, HIF1B, and HIF2A in the epidermis, sebaceous glands, and hair follicles, with HIF1B being the most prominently stained. Treatment with desferrioxamine (DFO), which stabilizes HIF, led to increased HIF1A stabilization in the ORS and a shift towards a more glycolytic phenotype. The findings suggest that HIF1A stabilization may help reduce oxidative stress and potentially support hair growth by favoring glycolysis over oxidative phosphorylation in these cells. The exact number of samples used in the study was not mentioned.
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