The First Discovery of New Target for the treatment of Hair Loss
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Date : 2013-09-13
The First Discovery of New Target for the treatment of Hair Loss
For
the first time, the Korean-American research team discovered a new target for
hair loss treatment.
Prof. Kwon, Ohsang (Dept. of Dermatology, SNU Hospital), Prof. Kim, Chang-Deok (College of Medicine, Chungnam National University), and Prof. George Cotsarelis (School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania) identified that Fibroblast growth factor 9 (Fgf9) played a pivotal role in the formation of new hair follicle—a sac which nourishes the hair while enclosing the hair root.
With about 100,000 hairs on the human head, hair follicle formation is completed between the 8th week and the end of 7th month of pregnancy. After birth, hair follicles aren't newly created, and their number continues to decrease through the whole life. For instance, people have no or little hair on the head as they grow older.
In 2007, however, the team first spotted a new type of hair follicle formation through activation of adult stem cells in the epidermis and the dermis during the skin wound healing process in mouse model. This runs counter to the common stereotype that hair follicle formation only occurs in the fetal stage.
During wound healing experiment, the team found a rapid induction of Fgf9 protein in the dermis just before hair follicle formation after epidermal reepithelization, thereby testing the impact of Fgf9 protein on hair follicle formation.
Hair follicle formation usually averaged about 30 ones per 1cm² in the process of wound healing. When the team injected an antibody against Fgf9 protein into the hypodermis of mice in the wound healing process, it newly created around 10 hair follicles per 1cm², one third of the average level. After activating Fgf9 protein more than normal levels in the model of genetically engineered mice, hair follicle formation rose to 150 ones per 1cm², five times the average figure. By contrast, hair follicle formation declined to about one third of the average in the model of Fgf9 protein-deficient mice.
As hair follicle formation came with a increase in Wnt protein expression in the dermis, the team interpreted that Fgf9 protein controlled hair follicle formation by boosting a growth in Wnt protein expression.
Fgf9 protein is secreted from γδT cell, one of key immune cells. γδT cells converge on the dermis of mice, but they are scarce in human cells with being centered around blood vessels. That's why hair follicle formation takes place in mice whereas scar is only found among humans in the wound healing process.
This study opens up the possibility of hair follicle formation in humans through Fgf9 protein activation.
“We confirmed that Fgf9 protein played a direct role in hair follicle regeneration during the wound healing process. As a mechanism for hair follicle formation, Fgf9 activation or induction is expected to be used as a remedy for alopecia including baldness," told Prof. Kwon, Ohsang.
This study was published in the July issue of a globally acclaimed medical journal ‘Nature Medicine.’
For
the first time, the Korean-American research team discovered a new target for
hair loss treatment. Prof. Kwon, Ohsang (Dept. of Dermatology, SNU Hospital), Prof. Kim, Chang-Deok (College of Medicine, Chungnam National University), and Prof. George Cotsarelis (School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania) identified that Fibroblast growth factor 9 (Fgf9) played a pivotal role in the formation of new hair follicle—a sac which nourishes the hair while enclosing the hair root.
With about 100,000 hairs on the human head, hair follicle formation is completed between the 8th week and the end of 7th month of pregnancy. After birth, hair follicles aren't newly created, and their number continues to decrease through the whole life. For instance, people have no or little hair on the head as they grow older.
In 2007, however, the team first spotted a new type of hair follicle formation through activation of adult stem cells in the epidermis and the dermis during the skin wound healing process in mouse model. This runs counter to the common stereotype that hair follicle formation only occurs in the fetal stage.
During wound healing experiment, the team found a rapid induction of Fgf9 protein in the dermis just before hair follicle formation after epidermal reepithelization, thereby testing the impact of Fgf9 protein on hair follicle formation.
Hair follicle formation usually averaged about 30 ones per 1cm² in the process of wound healing. When the team injected an antibody against Fgf9 protein into the hypodermis of mice in the wound healing process, it newly created around 10 hair follicles per 1cm², one third of the average level. After activating Fgf9 protein more than normal levels in the model of genetically engineered mice, hair follicle formation rose to 150 ones per 1cm², five times the average figure. By contrast, hair follicle formation declined to about one third of the average in the model of Fgf9 protein-deficient mice.
As hair follicle formation came with a increase in Wnt protein expression in the dermis, the team interpreted that Fgf9 protein controlled hair follicle formation by boosting a growth in Wnt protein expression.
Fgf9 protein is secreted from γδT cell, one of key immune cells. γδT cells converge on the dermis of mice, but they are scarce in human cells with being centered around blood vessels. That's why hair follicle formation takes place in mice whereas scar is only found among humans in the wound healing process.
This study opens up the possibility of hair follicle formation in humans through Fgf9 protein activation.
“We confirmed that Fgf9 protein played a direct role in hair follicle regeneration during the wound healing process. As a mechanism for hair follicle formation, Fgf9 activation or induction is expected to be used as a remedy for alopecia including baldness," told Prof. Kwon, Ohsang.
This study was published in the July issue of a globally acclaimed medical journal ‘Nature Medicine.’