MTOR Signaling in Hair Follicle and Hair Diseases: Recent Progress

The document reviews the role of the mTOR signaling pathway in hair follicle biology and its connection to hair diseases such as alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, lichen planopilaris, and frontal fibrosing alopecia. It explains that mTORC1 and mTORC2 have distinct roles in hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) regulation, with mTORC1 promoting the anagen phase and mTORC2 maintaining HFSCs. The review also discusses the impact of autophagy, heat stress, and Vitamin D on mTOR signaling and hair growth, noting that dysregulation of this pathway can lead to hair loss. It suggests that targeting mTOR signaling could be a promising approach for developing new treatments for hair diseases, as it is a key component in hair follicle health and disease. The document also mentions the potential of JAK inhibitors and NRF2 activators in treating hair loss conditions and the need for further research on the interaction between mTOR and other pathways like BMP and Wnt.