Lactate Dehydrogenase Activity Drives Hair Follicle Stem Cell Activation

The document from August 14, 2017, details a study that found lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity to be critical for the activation of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). The research showed that HFSCs have high glycolytic metabolism and that the deletion of the Ldha gene, which is involved in lactate production, prevents HFSC activation and hair cycle progression. Conversely, increasing lactate production, either genetically by deleting the Mpc1 gene or pharmacologically by inhibiting the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier, accelerates the hair cycle. The study involved experiments on mice, with sample sizes ranging from 3 to 33 per genotype, and at least 12 animals per genotype for genetic experiments. The findings suggest that targeting lactate production could be a potential strategy for promoting hair growth and have implications for regenerative medicine.