The Role of Vitamin D and Its Receptor in Skin and Hair Follicle Biology

January 2011 in “ Elsevier eBooks ”

Marie B. Demay, Marie B. Demay

vitamin D vitamin D receptor VDR hair follicle biology keratinocyte cells gene expression signaling pathways cutaneous homeostasis hair cycle regeneration

Studysummary Vitamin D and its receptor are crucial for skin and hair health. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The document discussed the role of vitamin D and its receptor (VDR) in skin and hair follicle biology. It highlighted that the skin was unique in its ability to synthesize vitamin D and respond to it through VDR-ligand interactions, affecting gene expression and signaling pathways. The research enhanced the understanding of VDR's mechanism and biological effects, particularly in hair follicle biology, where VDR actions were found to be ligand-independent in a specific population of keratinocyte cells. The study suggested that further characterization of VDR's molecular partners could reveal additional roles in maintaining hair cycle regeneration and cutaneous homeostasis.

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research Disruption of the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway Contributes to Hair Follicle Cycling Deficiency in VDR Knockout Mice

53 citations , May 2010 in “Journal of Cellular Physiology”

This study found that mice lacking the Vitamin D receptor showed disrupted hair follicle cycling, which was partially restored with hedgehog signaling pathway activation, suggesting a role for this pathway in follicle regulation independent of vitamin D.

research The Vitamin D Receptor Is Required for Mouse Hair Cycle Progression but Not for Maintenance of the Epidermal Stem Cell Compartment

25 citations , March 2008 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology”

This study suggests that while VDR is crucial for maintaining hair follicles in mice, their degeneration may be linked to impaired cell migration during hair growth phases rather than stem cell loss.

research The Vitamin D Receptor Is a Wnt Effector That Controls Hair Follicle Differentiation and Specifies Tumor Type in Adult Epidermis

127 citations , January 2008 in “PloS one”

This study observed that the vitamin D receptor is crucial for hair follicle formation and altering tumor development in the Wnt signaling pathway, suggesting therapeutic potential for vitamin D analogues in related tumors.

research Vitamin D Receptor Is Essential For Normal Keratinocyte Stem Cell Function

143 citations , May 2007 in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”

This study found that absence of the vitamin D receptor in keratinocytes impairs canonical Wnt signaling and leads to alopecia due to defects in keratinocyte stem cells.

research Hairless Suppresses Vitamin D Receptor Transactivation in Human Keratinocytes

78 citations , November 2005 in “Endocrinology”

This study found that Hairless (Hr) acts as a corepressor of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in human keratinocytes, blocking the action of vitamin D on keratinocyte differentiation.

research Hairless Triggers Reactivation of Hair Growth by Promoting Wnt Signaling

137 citations , September 2005 in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America”

In this study, researchers found that transgenic expression of the Hairless gene in keratinocytes can restore hair follicle regeneration in Hr-deficient mice by repressing Wise, a modulator of Wnt signaling.

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 25 Hydroxyvitamin D 1 Alpha-Hydroxylase Is Required for Optimal Epidermal Differentiation and Permeability Barrier Homeostasis

140 citations , April 2004 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology”

This study found that mice lacking the 1αOHase enzyme, which is responsible for producing a key vitamin D metabolite, showed impaired epidermal differentiation and delayed recovery of skin barrier function after disruption.

research Physical And Functional Interaction Between The Vitamin D Receptor And Hairless Corepressor, Two Proteins Required For Hair Cycling

215 citations , September 2003 in “Journal of Biological Chemistry”

This study found that the hairless gene product (Hr) suppresses VDR-mediated gene activation by directly interacting with the vitamin D receptor, potentially affecting hair follicle function.

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.

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

178 citations , October 2001 in “Genes & Development”

This study found that the mammalian hairless gene encodes a corepressor protein that interacts with thyroid hormone receptors, providing insights into hair loss syndromes in humans and mice.

research Tcf3 and Lef1 Regulate Lineage Differentiation of Multipotent Stem Cells in Skin

555 citations , July 2001 in “Genes & Development”

This study found that Tcf3 and Lef1 differently regulate cell differentiation in multipotent skin stem cells, with Tcf3 promoting follicle-like features and Lef1, when modified, promoting sebocyte differentiation.

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

137 citations , April 2001 in “Journal of Clinical Investigation”

This study found that alopecia in VDR-null mice persists despite undetectable vitamin D levels, indicating a defect in epithelial-mesenchymal communication due to the absence of ligand-independent receptor function.

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

114 citations , June 2000 in “Endocrinology”

In this study, the researchers found that alopecia in VDR null mice is likely due to issues with hair cycle initiation rather than defects in keratinocyte proliferation or differentiation.

research Multiple Roles for Activated LEF/TCF Transcription Complexes During Hair Follicle Development and Differentiation

990 citations , October 1999 in “Development”

This study found that LEF1/TCF3 is necessary but not sufficient for TOPGAL activation in hair follicle development, indicating complex regulation in the skin.

research Induction of the Hair Growth Phase in Postnatal Mice by Localized Transient Expression of Sonic Hedgehog

231 citations , October 1999 in “Journal of Clinical Investigation”

This study found that administering an adenovirus vector to increase Sonic hedgehog gene expression in mouse skin accelerated the transition of hair follicles into the growth phase, promoting hair growth.

research Splitting Hairs: Molecular Mechanisms of Hair and Feather Development

158 citations , November 1998 in “Cell”

β-catenin affects hair growth and can lead to tumors, needing more research for better understanding.

research Normalization of Mineral Ion Homeostasis by Dietary Means Prevents Hyperparathyroidism, Rickets, and Osteomalacia, But Not Alopecia in Vitamin D Receptor-Ablated Mice

519 citations , October 1998 in “Endocrinology”

The study found that normalizing mineral ion levels in vitamin D receptor-ablated mice prevented hyperparathyroidism and bone disorders but did not address hair loss, indicating the VDR's role in hair growth.

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

412 citations , January 1998 in “Science”

This study identified a missense mutation in the human hairless gene associated with a rare form of recessively inherited alopecia universalis, pinpointed on chromosome 8p12.