At the bottom of each hair follicle are special cells that play a key role in hair growth called papillae cells. They produce the signaling molecule SCUBE3, which commands neighboring hair stem cells to divide and grow hair. In people with androgenetic alopecia, the papillae cells produce too little of this signaling molecule: “At different times during the hair follicle’s life cycle, the papillae cells send signals that either keep the follicles dormant or trigger new hair growth,” explained Prof. Dr. Maksim Plikus from the University of California.
His team studied the function of SCUBE3 in mice and found that it strongly promotes hair growth. Further tests confirmed that this also works with human hair follicles: SCUBE3 stimulated hair growth in both resting human and animal mice that had human hair follicles implanted in them. The researchers conclude that the signaling molecule itself or molecules derived from it are candidates for a promising therapeutic agent against hair loss. Their results were published in the journal “Developmental Cell”.
There are currently two medications for androgenetic alopecia: finasteride and minoxidil. Both drugs are not sufficiently effective for everyone and must be used daily. The need for new, more effective drugs against hair loss is therefore great. “Naturally occurring compounds used by the papillary cells themselves represent ideal next-generation candidates for treatment,” says Plikus.
Which: DOI 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.06.005