Plerixafor Engages β-Arrestin-Dependent CXCR4 Signaling to Promote Melanogenesis via β-Catenin-MITF Activation

    July 2026 in “ Current Issues in Molecular Biology ”
    Tsong-Min Chang, Ting-Ya Yang, Huey‐Chun Huang
    Studysummary This study found that Plerixafor, a CXCR4 antagonist, promotes melanogenesis in melanocytes by increasing MITF and tyrosinase expression and enhancing melanocyte migration, and it effectively restores pigmentation in a mouse depigmentation model without toxicity, highlighting its potential for treating pigmentary disorders.
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    Research cited in this study 6

    1. Therapeutic Effects of Topical Mycophenolate Mofetil on Hydroquinone-Induced Depigmentation in Guinea Pigs and Mice Annals of Medicine · 2025
    2. Melanocyte Stem Cells in the Skin: Origin, Biological Characteristics, Homeostatic Maintenance and Therapeutic Potential Clinical and Translational Medicine · 2024
    3. Melanocytes in Regenerative Medicine Applications and Disease Modeling Journal of translational medicine · 2024
    4. Functional And Long-Lived Melanocytes From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells With Transient Ectopic Expression Of JMJD3 Stem Cell Research & Therapy · 2023
    5. CXCL12 Inhibits Hair Growth Through CXCR4 Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy · 2022
    6. Functional Hair Follicle Regeneration: An Updated Review Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy · 2021