Researchers Regrow Hair on Wounded Skin

By stirring crosstalk among skin cells that form the roots of hair, researchers report they have regrown hair strands on damaged skin. 

 The study examined the effect of distinct signaling pathways in damaged skin of laboratory mice. Experiments focused on cells called fibroblasts that secrete collagen, the structural protein most responsible for maintaining the shape and strength of skin and hair.

As part of their investigation, researchers activated the sonic hedgehog signaling pathway used by cells to communicate with each other. The pathway is known to be very active during the early stages of human growth in the womb, when hair follicles are formed, but is otherwise stalled in wounded skin in healthy adults.

“Our results show that stimulating fibroblasts through the sonic hedgehog pathway can trigger hair growth not previously seen in wound healing,” says study senior investigator.

Scientists have until now assumed that, as part of the healing process, scarring and collagen buildup in damaged skin were behind its inability to regrow hair. “Now we know that it’s a signaling issue in cells that are very active as we develop in the womb, but less so in mature skin cells as we age,” she adds.

Key among the study’s findings was that no signs of hair growth were observed in untreated skin, but were observed in treated skin, offering evidence that sonic hedgehog signaling was behind the hair growth.

The lead author of the study says her team plans further investigations into how chemical and genetic stimulants of fibroblasts might activate the sonic hedgehog pathway in wounded human skin. Her goal is to identify likely drug targets for hair regrowth.

Sources:

Chae Ho Lim, Qi Sun, Karan Ratti, Soung-Hoon Lee, Ying Zheng, Makoto Takeo, Wendy Lee, Piul Rabbani, Maksim V. Plikus, Jason E. Cain, David H. Wang, D. Neil Watkins, Sarah Millar, M. Mark Taketo, Peggy Myung, George Cotsarelis, Mayumi Ito. Hedgehog stimulates hair follicle neogenesis by creating inductive dermis during murine skin wound healing. Nature Communications, 2018; 9 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07142-9

NYU Langone Health / NYU School of Medicine. “Researchers regrow hair on wounded skin.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 November 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181128082747.htm>.

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Photo by Diane Serik

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