China: "We have maintained DP hair-inductive characteristics using eCTGF in culture"
More great news everyone!
Exogenous connective tissue growth factor (eCTGF) preserves the hair-inductive ability of human dermal papilla cells
Medical School of Chinese People’s Liberation Army in collaboration with University of Pittsburgh
doi: 10.1111/ics.12146
Published: June 2014 in International Journal of Cosmetic Science
OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a fibrogenic factor known to influence Wnt, BMP and TGF-b, could influence key signalling pathways in human dermal papilla cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of exogenous connective tissue growth factor on cultured human dermal papilla cells.
RESULTS: Connective tissue growth factor reduced proliferation rate of cultured human dermal papilla cells in a dose-dependent manner. Exogenous connective tissue growth factor increased the expression of cytoplasmic connective tissue growth factor, and increased mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase and b-catenin,BMP2 and TGF-b2 in human dermal papilla cells. Versican mRNA level was suppressed and a small increase in a-smooth muscle actin protein expression was observed.
CONCLUSION: Exogenous connective tissue growth factor can preserve the innate hair-inductive ability of adult human dermal papilla cells in vitro cultures, which is controlled through the Wnt, BMP and TGF-b signalling pathways.
Here’s some important excerpts from their paper:
“It has previously been shown that the interaction between dermal papilla cells and endothelial cells is a key factor in the regeneration of hair follicles.”
“Connective tissue growth factor is found at its highest levels in the vascular tissue and the maturing chondrocytes of the embryo. While in adult skin, CTGF is largely absent but is restricted to the dermal papillae”
“We observed that exogenous CTGF in culture media could increase the expression of intracellular CTGF in hDPCs, which supports the hypothesis that CTGF exposure may affect Wnt, BMP and TGF-b signalling in the cells. The Wnt pathway contributes to the initiation of folliculogenesis. Activation of the Wnt pathway is thought to be the first mesenchymal signal involved in the epithelial–mesenchymal interaction of folliculogenesis. CTGF can activate Wnt pathway in the course of osteoblast differentiation and epithelial–mesenchymal transition.”