Role of the Vitamin D Receptor in Hair Follicle Biology

January 2007 in “ The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ”

Marie B. Demay, Paul N. MacDonald, Kristi Skorija, Diane R. Dowd, Luisella Cianferotti, Megan Cox, Marie B. Demay, Paul N. MacDonald, Kristi Skorija, Diane R. Dowd, Luisella Cianferotti, Megan Cox

vitamin D receptor VDR alopecia hair follicle biology keratinocytes hair follicle homeostasis DNA binding domain ligand-dependent transactivation

Studysummary This study found that hair follicle homeostasis in mice requires vitamin D receptor expression in keratinocytes, independent of its ligand activation. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The study explored the role of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in hair follicle biology, demonstrating that the absence of VDR leads to alopecia. Research in VDR null mice showed no abnormalities during hair follicle morphogenesis but revealed an inability to initiate new hair cycles post-morphogenesis, resulting in no new hair growth. Transgenic mice studies indicated that VDR expression in keratinocytes could prevent alopecia, highlighting the necessity of VDR for maintaining hair follicle homeostasis. Further investigations identified the critical role of the DNA binding domain of VDR, as mice lacking this domain exhibited similar alopecia to VDR null mice. Mutant VDRs that could not perform ligand-dependent transactivation still prevented alopecia, suggesting that unliganded VDR plays a role in hair follicle maintenance.

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Research cited in this study

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research Hair Follicle Expression of 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Receptors During the Murine Hair Cycle

95 citations , July 2006 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This study observed that vitamin D receptor expression in certain hair follicle cells varies throughout the murine hair cycle, suggesting a potential role for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in hair follicle biology.

research Ligand-Independent Actions of the Vitamin D Receptor Maintain Hair Follicle Homeostasis

144 citations , December 2004 in “Molecular Endocrinology”

This study found that the effects of the vitamin D receptor on hair follicle cycling in mice are independent of its ability to bind a hormone, with specific domain mutations influencing hair regrowth outcomes.

research Deletion of DNA Binding Domain of the Vitamin D Receptor Abrogates Genomic and Nongenomic Functions of Vitamin D

277 citations , July 2002 in “Molecular Endocrinology”

In this study, homozygous VDR null mutant mice exhibited nonfunctional vitamin D receptors, leading to growth abnormalities and revealing the limited physiological importance of vitamin D pathways outside the classical receptor.

research Lack of the Vitamin D Receptor Is Associated with Reduced Epidermal Differentiation and Hair Follicle Growth

180 citations , January 2002 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology”

This study observed that vitamin D receptor knockout mice exhibit impaired epidermal differentiation and progressive hair loss, suggesting the importance of the vitamin D receptor in normal skin and hair follicle development.

research Targeting Expression of the Human Vitamin D Receptor to the Keratinocytes of Vitamin D Receptor Null Mice Prevents Alopecia

115 citations , December 2001 in “Endocrinology”

This study found that restoring vitamin D receptor expression specifically in the keratinocytes of VDR null mice prevented alopecia and enhanced hair follicle response during anagen initiation.

The Hairless Gene Mutated in Congenital Hair Loss Disorders Encodes a Novel Nuclear Receptor Corepressor

Role of the Vitamin D Receptor in Hair Follicle Biology

Research cited in this study

research Hair Follicle Expression of 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Receptors During the Murine Hair Cycle

research Ligand-Independent Actions of the Vitamin D Receptor Maintain Hair Follicle Homeostasis

research Deletion of DNA Binding Domain of the Vitamin D Receptor Abrogates Genomic and Nongenomic Functions of Vitamin D

research Lack of the Vitamin D Receptor Is Associated with Reduced Epidermal Differentiation and Hair Follicle Growth

research Targeting Expression of the Human Vitamin D Receptor to the Keratinocytes of Vitamin D Receptor Null Mice Prevents Alopecia

research The Hairless Gene Mutated in Congenital Hair Loss Disorders Encodes a Novel Nuclear Receptor Corepressor

research Metabolic And Cellular Analysis Of Alopecia In Vitamin D Receptor Knockout Mice

research Evaluation of Keratinocyte Proliferation and Differentiation in Vitamin D Receptor Knockout Mice

research Alopecia Universalis Associated With a Mutation in the Human Hairless Gene