Wheat Sprout Extract Stimulates Cell Proliferation via Phosphorylation of ERK and Akt in Human Dermal Papilla Cells

The study investigated the effects of Wheat Sprout MeOH extract (WSM) on human hair dermal papilla cells (HHDPCs) and found that WSM increased cell proliferation more than minoxidil. This increase was linked to the phosphorylation of ERK and Akt proteins. The proliferation effect was reduced when ERK and Akt inhibitors (PD98059 and LY294002) were used, suggesting that WSM stimulated cell proliferation through the activation of ERK and Akt pathways.