Induction of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Expression in Stored Micrografts by Aminoguanidine

In 2005, researchers discovered that Aminoguanidine (AMG) could induce a dose-dependent increase in Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) mRNA in stored hair follicle micrografts from 10 patients, without affecting other growth factors like bFGF or IGF-1. This induction was particularly notable in outer root sheath cells, with a 14-fold increase in VEGF mRNA observed. The study suggested that AMG might improve the viability and post-transplant success of hair micrografts by influencing growth factor production during storage, although the clinical implications of these findings required further investigation.