HMGB1 Promotes Hair Growth via the Modulation of Prostaglandin Metabolism
April 2019
in “
Scientific Reports
”
TLDR A protein called HMGB1 helps hair grow by affecting prostaglandin metabolism.
In 2019, researchers found that the High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) protein significantly promotes hair growth by regulating prostaglandin metabolism. The study used both in vitro and in vivo models, and results showed an increase in hair length and the number of hair follicles with the application of HMGB1. The protein, released from cell nuclei after tissue damage, enhanced hair shaft elongation and stimulated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion in human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs). Blocking the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), a HMGB1 receptor, inhibited HMGB1-induced PGE2 production and hair shaft elongation. The study concluded that HMGB1 promotes hair growth via PGE2 secretion from hDPCs, suggesting HMGB1 as a potential therapeutic target for alopecia treatment.