Deciphering the Role of the Hexosamine Pathway in Skin Homeostasis
September 2017
in “
The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology
”
New to Hyaluronic Acid? There is a guide in the encyclopedia. Read the guide → Studysummary This study found that activating the hexosamine pathway increased hyaluronic acid secretion and hair follicle stem cell numbers in vitro, suggesting its role in modulating skin homeostasis. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study explored the role of the hexosamine pathway (HP) in skin homeostasis, focusing on its impact on the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cellular functions. The HP generates aminosugars like UDP-GlcNAc, which are crucial for glycosylation processes. Activation of the HP was shown to improve protein homeostasis and extend lifespan in a nematode model. In skin, HP activation increased hyaluronic acid secretion, potentially enhancing ECM composition and stem cell function. The study also found that HP supplementation could increase hair follicle stem cells in vitro. Transgenic mice with conditional HP activation were developed to further investigate these molecular changes in vivo.
