research Ex Vivo Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in Human Hair Follicles and Potential Link to Telogen Effluvium
This study investigates the potential link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and telogen effluvium (TE), a type of hair loss, by examining the expression of viral entry factors ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in human hair follicles. The research found that these proteins are present in specific layers of the hair follicle, and ex vivo infection with SARS-CoV-2 showed nucleocapsid protein in the outer root sheath of hair follicles in two out of three donors. These infected cells also showed signs of apoptosis, suggesting that the virus may induce stress responses in hair follicles, leading to TE. This highlights hair follicles as a possible target organ affected by COVID-19.
