mTORC1 Activity Controls Human Scalp Hair Follicle Pigmentation and Growth
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Studysummary This study found that inhibiting mTORC1 activity with rapamycin increased both hair growth and pigmentation in human scalp hair follicles, suggesting a potential strategy for treating greying and hair loss.
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The document from May 2021 detailed a study demonstrating that mTORC1 activity is crucial for regulating human hair growth and pigmentation. Inhibition of mTORC1 with rapamycin in cultured human scalp hair follicles extended the growth phase, increased cell proliferation, and reduced cell death, offering a potential treatment avenue for preventing hair greying. Rapamycin also enhanced melanogenesis and the presence of pigment-producing cells, suggesting it could revive pigmentation in greying hair. In contrast, reducing the activity of TSC2, an inhibitor of mTORC1, led to decreased melanogenesis. These results indicate that targeting mTORC1 with rapamycin or similar drugs may be a promising approach for treating greying and hair loss, although the exact number of hair follicles studied was not mentioned.
