Inhibition of the Hippo Pathway by Verteporfin Reduces the Proliferation and Stemness of Rat Hair Follicle Neural Crest Stem Cells Under Hypoxia
February 2025
in “
FASEB BioAdvances
”

TLDR Verteporfin reduces growth and stem cell traits in rat hair follicle cells by blocking the Hippo pathway.
This study explored the role of the Hippo pathway in regulating rat hair follicle neural crest stem cells under hypoxic conditions. The researchers found that hypoxia supports the maintenance of stemness and proliferation of these cells. By inhibiting the Hippo pathway with verteporfin, there was a notable reduction in cell proliferation and decreased expression of key stemness and hypoxia-related proteins, such as HIF2α, SOX10, OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, and KLF4. This suggests that the Hippo pathway plays a crucial role in maintaining the stemness and proliferation of hair follicle neural crest stem cells in low-oxygen environments.