Nfatc1 Balances Quiescence and Proliferation of Skin Stem Cells

January 2008 in “ Cell ”

Valerie Horsley, Antonios O. Aliprantis, Lisa Polak, Laurie H. Glimcher, Elaine Fuchs

TLDR NFATc1 controls hair stem cell activity, affecting hair growth and could be a target for hair loss treatments.

The study investigated the role of NFATc1 in hair follicle stem cells, showing that NFATc1 was essential for maintaining stem cell quiescence by repressing CDK4 expression. NFATc1 was activated by BMP signaling and kept stem cells dormant, but during hair growth, its downregulation allowed CDK4 activation and stem cell proliferation. Inhibition of NFATc1, such as through cyclosporine A treatment, led to premature stem cell activation and excessive hair growth. The research highlighted the calcium-NFATc1-CDK4 pathway's importance in hair follicle stem cell regulation, suggesting NFATc1 as a potential target for managing hair growth and alopecia.

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