Induction of Versican by Ascorbic Acid 2-Phosphate in Dermal Papilla Cells

In the 2006 study, researchers investigated the effect of L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate magnesium salt (Asc 2-P), a derivative of Vitamin C, on the expression of versican in dermal papilla cells and isolated hair follicles. Versican is a proteoglycan involved in extracellular matrix assembly and cell adhesion, and it is thought to play a significant role in the induction and maintenance of the anagen phase of hair growth. The study used dermal papilla cells from five established cell lines at the 2-3 passage and hair biopsy specimens from patients with androgenic alopecia. The results showed that Asc 2-P treatment upregulated the mRNA levels of all four isoforms of versican in dermal papilla cells and increased the expression of versican in the dermal papilla of isolated hair follicles. Additionally, the induction of versican by Asc 2-P was mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling and was associated with increased nuclear accumulation of β-catenin. These findings suggest that Asc 2-P could be a potential treatment for hair loss by inducing versican expression and promoting anagen phase characteristics in dermal papilla cells.