Molecular Functional Analyses Revealed Essential Roles of HSP90 and Lamin A/C in Growth, Migration, and Self-Aggregation of Dermal Papilla Cells

The study by Thanomkitti et al. (2018) demonstrated that heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and lamin A/C were crucial for the growth, migration, and self-aggregation of dermal papilla cells (DPCs), which are essential for hair follicle formation and hair growth. Using siRNA to knock down these proteins, researchers observed significant reductions in cell proliferation, growth rate, and self-aggregation ability, along with cell cycle arrest and impaired migratory activity. These findings suggested that defects in HSP90 and lamin A/C could contribute to alopecia areata (AA), highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets for the disease.