Pantothenic Acid Promotes Dermal Papilla Cell Proliferation in Hair Follicles of American Minks via Inhibitor of DNA Binding 3/Notch Signaling Pathway

The study investigated the effects of pantothenic acid (PA) on hair follicle growth and dermal papilla (DP) cell proliferation in American minks. Researchers treated isolated mink HFs and DP cells with varying concentrations of PA (0, 10, 20, 40 μg/ml) and observed that concentrations of 20 μg/ml and 40 μg/ml PA enhanced hair follicle growth, DP cell proliferation, and the expression of growth factors IGF-1 and VEGF. However, only the 20 μg/ml concentration improved cell viability and migration, making it the focus for further experiments. The study found that PA treatment increased the expression of inhibitor of DNA binding 3 (ID3) while decreasing the expression of Notch receptor 1 (Notch1) and Notch signaling targets. When ID3 was silenced, the PA-induced cell proliferation and the suppression of Notch signaling were reversed, suggesting that PA's promotion of DP cell proliferation is mediated through the up-regulation of ID3 and subsequent inhibition of the Notch signaling pathway. This research provides insight into the mechanism by which PA stimulates DP cell proliferation, which could be relevant for treating alopecia.