Wnt Signaling Drives Hair Follicle Regeneration in Wounds by Attenuating Mechanotransduction in the Epidermis

The study investigates the role of Wnt signaling in hair follicle regeneration within wounds, specifically through its mechanoregulatory functions. It demonstrates that Wnt signaling modulates mechanosensitivity in epidermal keratinocytes, reducing substrate rigidity response, which is crucial for wound-induced hair neogenesis (WIHN) in mice. The research highlights that Wnt-induced chromatin remodeling significantly decreases nuclear rigidity while maintaining nucleo-cytoskeletal mechanical coupling. This process involves a reorganization of the actin network and the formation of a mechanical syncytium, enhancing force coordination among cells. These findings reveal a novel function of Wnt signaling in manipulating mechanotransduction to promote hair follicle regeneration in wounds.