Decoction and Fermentation of Selected Medicinal Herbs Promote Hair Regrowth by Inducing Hair Follicle Growth in Conjunction with Wnts Signaling

Su Kil Jang,Bo Ram Jo,Jun Sub Park,Jung Youl Park,Seung Tae Kim,Seong Soo Joo,Jong Heo,Do Ik Lee

doi:10.1155/2016/4541580

Abstract

It is well recognized that regulating the hair follicle cycle in association with Wnt signaling is one of the most interesting targets for promoting hair regrowth. In this study, we examined whether selected herbal medicines processed by decoction and fermentation promote hair growth by upregulating the number and size of hair follicles and Wnt signaling, including activation of β-catenin and Akt in telogen-synchronized C57BL/6N mice. The results revealed that the fermented extract after decoction (FDE) more effectively promoted hair growth than that of a nonfermented extract (DE). Notably, FDE effectively enhanced formation of hair follicles with clearer differentiation between the inner and outer root sheath, which is observed during the anagen phase. Mechanistic evidence was found for increased β-catenin and Akt phosphorylation levels in dorsal skin tissue along with elevated expression of hair regrowth-related genes, such as Wnt3/10a/10b, Lef1, and fibroblast growth factor 7. In conclusion, our findings suggest that FDE plays an important role in regulating the hair cycle by increasing expression of hair regrowth-related genes and activating downstream Wnt signaling targets.

Highlights

Hair is a defining property of mammals that plays important roles in keeping the body warm and dry and protecting against harmful environments
During the transition from the telogen to the anagen phases, Wnt signaling, which is required to establish the hair follicle and is upregulated only at the end of the telogen phase to promote entry into anagen, plays a key role in activating bulge stem cells to progress toward hair formation, and these signals are relayed in association with β-catenin and lymphoid enhancer factor 1 (Lef1) [5]
Wnt ligand expression is not detected in telogen phase follicles, and Wnt10a and 10b are only expressed at the onset of the anagen phase in the dermal papilla and secondary hair germ cells, respectively [6]

Summary

Introduction

Hair is a defining property of mammals that plays important roles in keeping the body warm and dry and protecting against harmful environments. Wnt ligand expression is not detected in telogen phase follicles, and Wnt10a and 10b are only expressed at the onset of the anagen phase in the dermal papilla and secondary hair germ cells, respectively [6]. This is supported by the observation that β-catenin is generally confined to the membranes of bulge cells through most of the telogen phase and that nuclear β-catenin only becomes apparent in hair germ cells just before the follicle enters the anagen phase [5, 7]. We examined the hair regrowth activity of the extract in C57BL6/N mice and its prospective mechanism in conjunction with Wnt signaling

Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion