The Local Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis in Cultured Human Dermal Papilla Cells
January 2020
in “
Research Square (Research Square)
”
corticotropin releasing factor CRF human dermal papilla cells DPCs hair follicles hair growth hair loss catagen transition cell cycle arrest G2/M phase reactive oxygen species ROS anagen phase cytokine levels proopiomelanocortin POMC adrenocorticotropic hormone ACTH cortisol hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis HPA axis stress hormone hair shedding hair growth phase
TLDR Stress hormone CRF causes hair loss and stops hair cell growth.
The study conducted four years ago investigated the effect of the stress hormone, corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), on human dermal papilla cells (DPCs) and hair follicles. The results showed that CRF inhibited hair growth, induced hair loss, and caused early catagen (hair shedding) transition in human hair follicles. CRF also inhibited the proliferation of human DPCs through cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and induced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Anagen-related (hair growth phase) cytokine levels were downregulated in CRF-treated human DPCs. The study also found that increases in proopiomelanocortin (POMC), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol were induced by CRF in human DPCs. The findings suggested that a fully functional hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis exists in human DPCs and that CRF directly affects human DPCs and hair follicles under stress conditions, leading to hair loss.
