High-Throughput Screening of Small Molecule Wnt/β-Catenin Activators for Hair and Nail Growth

    March 2026 in “ Communications Biology ”
    Gulimila Abudureyimu, Hyung-Suk Jang, Joonho Shim … Dongyoun LEE
    Studysummary This study identified nine compounds that activate Wnt signaling, with aminoacridine and proflavine especially promoting hair and nail regeneration in mouse models, highlighting new therapeutic candidates from existing FDA-approved and natural compounds.
    Automatically generated from the study's abstract, not written by a person, and not a review of the full paper. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Read the original study, and consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
    Read the full study on nature.com →
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study 18

    1. Studying Hair Growth Cycle and Its Effects on Mouse Skin Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 2023
    2. Comparative Spatial Transcriptomic and Single-Cell Analyses of Human Nail Units and Hair Follicles Show Transcriptional Similarities between the Onychodermis and Follicular Dermal Papilla ˜The œjournal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology · 2022
    3. A Systematic Summary of Survival and Death Signaling During the Life of Hair Follicle Stem Cells Stem Cell Research & Therapy · 2021
    4. Efficacy of Cetirizine 1% Versus Minoxidil 5% Topical Solution in the Treatment of Male Alopecia: A Randomized, Single-Blind Controlled Study Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences · 2021
    5. Design of In Vitro Hair Follicles for Different Applications in the Treatment of Alopecia: A Review Biomedicines · 2021
    6. Functional Hair Follicle Regeneration: An Updated Review Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy · 2021
    7. Two-Cell Assemblage Assay: A Simple In Vitro Method for Screening Hair Growth-Promoting Compounds Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology · 2020
    8. Oral Minoxidil Treatment for Hair Loss: A Review of Efficacy and Safety Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology · 2020
    9. Minoxidil And Its Use In Hair Disorders: A Review Drug Design Development and Therapy · 2019
    10. Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Hair Loss and the Suggested Mechanisms Current Pharmaceutical Design · 2018
    11. Hair Germ Model In Vitro via Human Postnatal Keratinocyte-Dermal Papilla Interactions: Impact of Hyaluronic Acid Stem cells international · 2017
    12. Wnt Signaling in Skin Development, Homeostasis, and Disease Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology · 2012
    13. Hairy Tale of Signaling in Hair Follicle Development and Cycling Seminars in cell & developmental biology · 2012
    14. TSH Is a Novel Neuroendocrine Regulator of Selected Keratins in the Human Hair Follicle Journal of Dermatological Science · 2011
    15. Wnt Signaling, Lgr5, and Stem Cells in the Intestine and Skin ˜The œAmerican journal of pathology · 2009
    16. The Hair Follicle as a Dynamic Mini-Organ Current Biology · 2009
    17. Keratins of the Human Hair Follicle International review of cytology · 2005
    18. Molecular Principles of Hair Follicle Induction and Morphogenesis BioEssays · 2005