L-Ascorbic Acid 2-Phosphate Promotes Elongation of Hair Shafts via the Secretion of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 from Dermal Papilla Cells Through Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase
TLDR Vitamin C derivative helps hair grow longer by making cells produce a growth factor through a specific cellular pathway.
In the study from June 2009, l-Ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (Asc 2-P) was found to promote hair shaft elongation and hair growth by inducing the secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) from dermal papilla (DP) cells. The mechanism involves the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. The research demonstrated that Asc 2-P treatment upregulated IGF-1 mRNA and increased IGF-1 protein levels in DP cells. This was confirmed by increased IGF-1 immunostaining in DP of cultured human hair follicles. The elongation effect of Asc 2-P on hair shafts was significantly reduced by an IGF-1 neutralizing antibody and by the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, which also attenuated the proliferation of follicular keratinocytes. These findings suggest that Asc 2-P stimulates hair follicle growth in vitro by inducing IGF-1 expression through the PI3K pathway.
