MicroRNA-205 Promotes Hair Regeneration by Modulating Mechanical Properties of Hair Follicle Stem Cells

May 2023 in “ Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ”

Jingjing Wang, Yuheng Fu, Wenmao Huang, Ritusree Biswas, Avinanda Banerjee, Joshua A. Broussard, Zhihai Zhao, Dongmei Wang, Glen A. Bjerke, S. Raghavan, Jie Yan, Kathleen J. Green, Rui Yi

microRNA-205 hair follicle stem cells actomyosin contractility hair regeneration hair germ progenitors cell cycle reentry

TLDR MicroRNA-205 helps hair regrow by making hair follicle stem cells less stiff.

The study explores the role of microRNA-205 (miR-205) in hair regeneration by modulating the mechanical properties of hair follicle stem cells (HF-SCs). miR-205 reduces actomyosin contractility and cell stiffness, facilitating the transition of hair germ (HG) cells from a quiescent to an active state, promoting hair growth. Experiments on mice showed that miR-205 induction enhances hair regeneration in both young and old mice by altering cell mechanics and gene expression, overriding inhibitory BMP signaling, and activating FGF and WNT pathways. This research suggests miR-205 as a potential therapeutic target for hair loss treatment.