Low-Dose Rapamycin Microdepots Promote Hair Regrowth via Autophagy Modulation

April 2025 in “ Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation ”

Tiep Tien Nguyen, Trang N. Le, Ngọc Trần Nguyên, Simmyung Yook, Dongryeol Ryu, Gorka Orive, Youngdae Gwon, Jong-Hyuk Sung, Jee‐Heon Jeong

rapamycin autophagy Wnt/β-catenin pathway anagen hair follicles

Studysummary In this study, injectable microdepots containing rapamycin and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) were developed and demonstrated to effectively promote hair regrowth in mice by sustaining drug release and inducing anagen phase transition in hair follicles through modulating autophagy and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The study developed low-dose rapamycin microdepots (RAPMD) to promote hair regrowth by modulating autophagy and activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These microdepots, characterized by a 6 μm size and 71% loading efficiency, provided a sustained release of rapamycin over 35 days. In vivo experiments on mice showed that RAPMDs significantly increased hair weight and the number of anagen hair follicles, with the optimal dose being 0.2 µg of RAP equivalent. The research suggests that RAPMDs offer a promising strategy for enhancing hair regrowth in patients with hair loss, highlighting the crucial role of autophagy in hair follicle activation.

View this study on link.springer.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

20 / 20 results

research Autophagy Induces Hair Follicle Stem Cell Activation and Hair Follicle Regeneration by Regulating Glycolysis

January 2024

This study found that activating autophagy in hair follicle stem cells can promote hair growth by shifting their metabolism to glycolysis, while inhibiting it led to delayed hair cycle progression.

research MTOR Signaling in Hair Follicle and Hair Diseases: Recent Progress

September 2023 in “Frontiers in medicine”

This review suggests that the mTOR signaling pathway may play a significant role in hair follicle health by influencing the effects of Vitamin D receptor deficiency, potentially contributing to hair follicle damage and related hair loss conditions.

research An Updated Etiology of Hair Loss and the New Cosmeceutical Paradigm in Therapy: Clearing the Big Eight Strikes

July 2023 in “Cosmetics”

This review concluded that the efficacy of cosmeceutical hair serums for addressing hair loss lies in their use of bioactive peptides and plant compounds, like flavonoids and sterols, that target eight key contributing factors identified in hair loss conditions.

Ginsenoside Re Prevents 3-Methyladenine-Induced Catagen Phase Acceleration by Regulating Wnt/Beta-Catenin Signaling in Human Dermal Papilla Cells

research Ginsenoside Re Prevents 3-Methyladenine-Induced Catagen Phase Acceleration by Regulating Wnt/Beta-Catenin Signaling in Human Dermal Papilla Cells

5 citations , November 2022 in “Journal of Ginseng Research/Journal of ginseng research”

This study investigated the role of autophagy in human dermal papilla cells and found that inhibiting autophagy accelerates the catagen phase by reducing Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Furthermore, adding ginsenoside Re appears to restore autophagy, suggesting potential benefits for mitigating hair loss linked to autophagy inhibition.

research Effective And Economical Cell Therapy For Hair Regeneration

17 citations , November 2022 in “Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy”

This study reviewed recent developments in cell therapy for hair loss, finding adipose-derived stem cells and dermal sheath cup cells as promising alternatives to conventional treatments, albeit with varying effectiveness and challenges in trichogenecity and hair growth outcomes.

Promotion of Hair Regrowth by Transdermal Dissolvable Microneedles Loaded with Rapamycin and Epigallocatechin Gallate Nanoparticles

research Promotion of Hair Regrowth by Transdermal Dissolvable Microneedles Loaded with Rapamycin and Epigallocatechin Gallate Nanoparticles

7 citations , July 2022 in “Pharmaceutics”

This study found that a dissolvable microneedle device delivering rapamycin and epigallocatechin gallate nanoparticles significantly enhanced hair regrowth in C57BL/6 mice within 7 days, demonstrating increased hair shaft growth and follicle density with minimal inflammation compared to untreated mice.

research Hair Follicle-Targeting Drug Delivery Strategies for the Management of Hair Follicle-Associated Disorders

14 citations , May 2022 in “Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences”

This review article highlights how hair follicle-targeting drug delivery systems enhance therapeutic outcomes and reduce side effects for treating conditions like androgenetic alopecia and acne vulgaris. The authors discuss current formulations and evaluate their performance in both preclinical and clinical settings.

5-Bromo-3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde Promotes Hair Growth Through Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin and Autophagy Pathways and Inhibition of TGF-β Pathways in Dermal Papilla Cells

research 5-Bromo-3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde Promotes Hair Growth Through Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin and Autophagy Pathways and Inhibition of TGF-β Pathways in Dermal Papilla Cells

7 citations , March 2022 in “Molecules”

This study found that 5-bromo-3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (BDB) promoted hair growth in rat vibrissa follicles by activating Wnt/β-catenin and autophagy pathways and inhibiting the TGF-β pathway in dermal papilla cells.

research Two Phase 3 Trials of Baricitinib for Alopecia Areata

148 citations , March 2022 in “The New England Journal of Medicine”

In two phase 3 trials, this study found that oral baricitinib significantly improved hair regrowth compared to placebo in adults with severe alopecia areata after 36 weeks, though longer trials are needed to ascertain its long-term efficacy and safety.

research Tissue Engineering and Regeneration of the Human Hair Follicle in Androgenetic Alopecia: Literature Review

4 citations , January 2022 in “Life”

This review examines current and potential tissue engineering strategies for hair follicle regeneration in androgenetic alopecia but does not provide new clinical results, highlighting the need for further research and development.

research Functional Hair Follicle Regeneration: An Updated Review

42 citations , February 2021 in “Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy”

This review discusses potential cell sources and bioengineering strategies for regenerating hair follicles with functional cycling, reporting no new results.

research Myristoleic Acid Promotes Anagen Signaling by Autophagy Through Activating Wnt/β-Catenin and ERK Pathways in Dermal Papilla Cells

8 citations , February 2021 in “Biomolecules & therapeutics”

This study found that myristoleic acid promotes dermal papilla cell proliferation and anagen signaling through autophagy, cell cycle progression, and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin and ERK pathways.

research Preliminary Studies of Hair Follicle Regeneration by Injections of Epidermal Stem Cells and Dermal Papilla Cells into Nude Mice

5 citations , March 2020 in “Cell and Tissue Banking”

This study found that injecting a mixture of epidermal stem cells and dermal papilla cells can induce hair follicle regeneration and well-ordered epidermis formation in mice.

research Expression Profile Analysis of Dermal Papilla Cells mRNA in Response to WNT10B Treatment

7 citations , December 2019 in “Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine”

This study examined the effects of WNT10B on dermal papilla cells in vitro, finding that it alters gene expression, decreases protein synthesis, and upregulates a specific signaling pathway, potentially influencing hair follicle morphogenesis.

research Induction of Hair Follicle Neogenesis with Cultured Mouse Dermal Papilla Cells in De Novo Regenerated Skin Tissues

10 citations , June 2019 in “Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine”

This study found that cultured mouse dermal papilla (mDP) cells can induce hair follicle neogenesis in de novo regenerated skin tissues grafted onto mice.

research Stimulation of Hair Growth by Small Molecules That Activate Autophagy

88 citations , June 2019 in “Cell reports”

This study found that activating autophagy with specific small molecules and drugs can stimulate hair growth by initiating the anagen phase in dormant hair follicles, suggesting a potential treatment for hair loss.

research Distinct Fibroblast Lineages Determine Dermal Architecture in Skin Development and Repair

1235 citations , December 2013 in “Nature”

This study found that skin fibroblasts in mice arise from two distinct lineages which contribute differently to dermal structure and repair, impacting hair follicle formation during wound healing.

research Drug Delivery to Hair Follicles

122 citations , March 2013 in “Expert opinion on drug delivery”

This review summarizes drug delivery strategies to hair follicles, highlighting physicochemical factors affecting penetration and the use of stimuli-responsive particulate carriers, but reports no new clinical findings.

research Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) May Modulate the Timing of Anagen Entry in Mouse Hair Follicles

28 citations , November 2012 in “Experimental dermatology”

This study suggests that mTORC1 may play a role in regulating the timing of hair growth cycle phases, particularly the initiation of the anagen phase.

Dermal Papilla Cells Serially Cultured with Wnt-10b Sustain Their Hair Follicle Induction Activity After Transplantation into Nude Mice

research Dermal Papilla Cells Serially Cultured with Wnt-10b Sustain Their Hair Follicle Induction Activity After Transplantation into Nude Mice

22 citations , October 2012 in “Cell Transplantation”

This study found that adding Wnt-10b to the culture medium of dermal papilla cells maintained their ability to induce hair follicles over 100 days in vitro.