The effect of proteolytic enzymes on hair follicles of transgenic mice expressing the lac Z‐protein in cells of the bulge region

The study investigated the effects of proteolytic enzymes on hair follicles in transgenic mice expressing the lac-Z protein in bulge region cells, which are considered follicle stem cells. Chymotrypsin and papain were applied via iontophoresis, and trypsin was delivered in liposome form. The treatments caused significant degenerative effects on the hair follicles, including detachment of the inner root sheath, cystic dilation of the hair shaft, and the presence of epithelial cells within the lumen. These results suggested that the enzyme treatments impaired the function of hair follicle stem cells by detaching them from the bulge area.