Nrf2 Activation Enhances the Healing of Cutaneous Wounds Through the Activation of Hair Follicle Stem Cells

The document from May 1, 2018, describes a study showing that activating the Nrf2 transcription factor in keratinocytes improves cutaneous wound healing by stimulating the proliferation of hair follicle stem cells in the junctional zone and upper isthmus. This activation leads to quicker wound closure due to the development of a longer and larger wound epithelium, rather than changes in keratinocyte behavior such as proliferation, apoptosis, or migration. The study observed an increase in the number and proliferation of these stem cells near the wound, which was attributed to Nrf2-induced up-regulation of Epigen, a member of the EGF family, and subsequent activation of the EGF receptor. The findings indicate that pharmacological activation of Nrf2 could be beneficial for enhancing wound healing by expanding hair follicle stem cell populations.