Conditional Epidermal Expression of TGFβ1 Blocks Neonatal Lethality but Causes a Reversible Hyperplasia and Alopecia
July 2001
in “
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
”
TLDR TGFβ1 expression in skin causes hair loss and skin thickening, but these effects are reversible.
The study explored the effects of conditional epidermal expression of TGFβ1 in mice, finding that while it prevented neonatal lethality, it caused reversible hyperplasia and alopecia. TGFβ1 overexpression inhibited hair follicle activity and led to skin hyperproliferation and inflammation, but these effects were reversible with doxycycline treatment, allowing hair regrowth within 14 days. The research provided insights into TGFβ1's role in skin and hair follicle biology, suggesting that its signaling could produce opposing outcomes in normal tissue. The study involved a small number of animals, with some groups having as few as 2 or 3 mice.
