Mobilizing Transit-Amplifying Cell-Derived Ectopic Progenitors to Prevent Hair Loss from Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy
March 2023
chemotherapy radiotherapy hair follicles genotoxic stress ectopic progenitors transit-amplifying cells low-dose ionizing radiation high-dose ionizing radiation basal hair bulb progenitors hair matrix cells outer root sheath cells stem cell-like state WNT signaling p53 cyclophosphamide chemo radiation therapy hair roots stress from toxins progenitor cells TAC low-dose IR high-dose IR hair bulb cells hair matrix outer root sheath stem cells WNT pathway p53 protein Cytoxan
TLDR Activating certain cells in hair follicles can prevent hair loss caused by cancer treatments.
Hair loss from chemotherapy and radiotherapy is a common side effect of cancer treatments, and current options for preventing it are limited. This study found that hair follicles respond to genotoxic stress by mobilizing ectopic progenitors from transit-amplifying cells (TAC) to regenerate hair growth. After low-dose ionizing radiation (IR), basal hair bulb progenitors were activated to replenish hair matrix cells and regenerate hair follicles, while high-dose IR led outer root sheath cells to adopt a stem cell-like state to fuel regeneration. The study also discovered that IR-induced hair loss and hair follicle dystrophy were associated with suppressed WNT signaling in a p53- and dose-dependent manner. By enhancing WNT signaling, the negative effects of p53 were mitigated, leading to increased proliferation of ectopic progenitors and prevention of hair loss induced by both IR and the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide. This suggests that activating TAC-derived progenitors could be a viable strategy to prevent hair loss from cancer treatments.
