Molecular Conversations and the Development of the Hair Follicle and Basal Cell Carcinoma
September 2010
in “
Cancer Prevention Research
”
TLDR Overactive signaling in hair follicles can lead to skin cancer.
The document discussed the development of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) through the study of hair follicles, focusing on the role of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling and its interaction with the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis. It highlighted the overexpression of IGF binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) in hair follicle cells of mice with activated Shh signaling, which led to an expansion of the stem cell niche and inhibition of cell differentiation. This transformation was linked to the development of BCC, with evidence showing IGFBP-2 expression in human BCC as well.