December 2025 in “Scientific Reports” This study found that preconditioning human hair follicle-derived stem cells with valproic acid enhanced their survival and migration in ischemic-like conditions by activating autophagy and inhibiting the AKT/mTOR pathway, suggesting this approach could improve stem cell therapies for ischemic stroke.
In this study, researchers explored how hypoxic preconditioning affects the survival and oxidative stress resilience of nestin-expressing hair follicle stem cells and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, focusing on changes in gene expression for HIF1α, BDNF, and VEGF.
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September 2021 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” This study suggests that pretreatment with a PPAR-γ modulator may prevent damage to hair follicle stem cells caused by a chemotherapy metabolite, potentially offering a strategy to mitigate permanent chemotherapy-induced alopecia.
February 2022 in “DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)” In this study, all-trans retinoic acid was found to protect against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in cultured hair cell-like cells.
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October 2016 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This study found that activating Nrf2 in human hair follicles significantly reduced oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and protected against hair growth inhibition, suggesting a protective role for Nrf2 against redox insult in this context.