Researchers have found a way to prevent hair loss and even stimulate hair growth by acting on hair stem cells.
- As we age, the stiffening of hair stem cells is one of the causes of the cessation of new hair production.
- Researchers have found a way to soften stem cells and thus stimulate hair growth.
- So far, clinical trials have only been conducted on mice.
13% of French people say they have baldness, according to a Ifop poll. At any age, this phenomenon affects men more (25% before age 65 and 31% after) than women (2% then 3% after age 65). The main cause is androgenetic alopecia, which is the stiffening of hair stem cells as we age. This stiffness results in the arrest of the cell cycle and the production of new hair.
Baldness: cellular rigidity in question
In a new study published in the journal PNAS, researchers have succeeded in softening hair stem cells using a microRNA. It is a small RNA molecule, called miR-205, which stops the production of proteins that cause cellular rigidity. The proteins responsible for the stiffness of hair stem cells are called “actin” fibers. During their experiments on mice, the scientists shut down the expression of the genes needed to make actin fibers. So they produced more miR-205. Results: This promoted hair growth in young and old mice.
Stimulate hair growth from existing stem cells
“The stem cells began to produce new hair after ten days of treatment, explains Rui Yi, one of the authors, in a communicated. We did not create new stem cells. We stimulated existing stem cells to grow hair. Often we still have stem cells, but they may not be able to generate hair.”
For the moment, this solution is in the clinical trial stage, but the scientists intend to continue their work. “Since there is the possibility of injecting these microRNAs directly into the skin, the next step will be to test whether a spot treatment can stimulate hair production.”, concludes Rui Yi.
