Macrophages Induce AKT/β-Catenin-Dependent Lgr5+ Stem Cell Activation and Hair Follicle Regeneration Through TNF

March 2017 in “ Nature Communications ”

Xusheng Wang, Haiyan Chen, Rui-Yun Tian, Yiling Zhang, Marina S. Drutskaya, Chengmei Wang, Jian-Feng Ge, Zhimeng Fan, Deqiang Kong, Xiaoxiao Wang, Ting Cai, Ying Zhou, Jingwen Wang, Jin-Mei Wang, Shan X. Wang, Zhihai Qin, Huanhuan Jia, Yue Wu, Jia Liu, Sergei A. Nedospasov, Edward E. Tredget, Mei Lin, Jianjun Liu, Yuyang Jiang, Yaojiong Wu

macrophages AKT β-catenin Lgr5+ stem cells hair follicle regeneration TNF alopecia hair loss hair follicle stem cells signaling pathway

Studysummary This study shows that macrophage-induced TNF signaling can activate hair follicle stem cells and promote new hair follicle formation after wounding by regulating AKT/β-catenin pathways.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

Macrophages play a crucial role in hair follicle regeneration by activating Lgr5+ stem cells through the AKT/β-catenin pathway and TNF. Targeting macrophages and TNF could be a potential therapeutic strategy for hair loss and alopecia. TNF is necessary for hair follicle regeneration and activates hair follicle stem cells through the AKT/β-catenin signaling pathway. The study used mice to observe these findings.

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Research cited in this study

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