Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Controls Hair Growth
TLDR Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) promotes hair growth by stimulating specific skin cells.
The study identifies thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) as a cytokine produced by keratinocytes and immune cells in the skin during injury and active hair growth. Local delivery of low-dose exogenous TSLP promotes the expansion of transit amplifying cells (TACs) and stimulates hair growth without causing itch. Conversely, neutralizing the TSLP receptor (TSLPR) inhibits wound-induced hair growth. Using genetically modified mice, the research demonstrates that TSLP acts through TSLPR on LGR5+ keratinocytes to promote TAC proliferation during both wound healing and normal tissue homeostasis. Deletion of Tslpr in hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) delays hair cycling and inhibits wound-induced hair growth, indicating TSLP's crucial role in hair follicle cell proliferation and hair growth.
