Cutaneous Applied Nano-ZnO Reduces the Ability of Hair Follicle Stem Cells to Differentiate

    April 2017
    Wei Ge, Yong Zhao, Fang-Nong Lai, Jing‐Cai Liu, Yuan-Chao Sun, Junjie Wang, Shun‐Feng Cheng, Xifeng Zhang, Li-Lan Sun, Lan Li, Paul W. Dyce, Weiliang Shen
    TLDR Nano-Zinc oxide on skin reduces hair follicle stem cell differentiation.
    The study investigated the effects of nano-Zinc oxide (nZnO) on hair follicle physiology, revealing that nZnO accumulated in hair follicles and induced apoptosis in hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) in newborn mice. Topical application of nZnO over 7 days led to DNA damage and disrupted genes related to HFSC apoptosis, cell communication, and differentiation. The ability of HFSCs to differentiate was reduced, indicating a potential risk of topically applied ZnO nanoparticles on skin homeostasis.
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