Novel Treatment Could Promote Effective Hair Regeneration

The researchers examined mouse models of hair regeneration and looked at how quickly hair regrew on the subjects treated with 2D cultured DP cells, 3D spheroid-cultured DP cells in a keratin scaffolding, and the hair loss treatment Minoxidil. A spheroid is a three-dimensional structure that mimics a cell's environment.

Impressively, the researchers found that mice treated with the 3D spheroid-cultured DP had regained 90% of their hair in just 15 days.

"The 3D cells in a keratin scaffold performed best, as the spheroid mimics the hair microenvironment and the keratin scaffold acts as an anchor to keep them at the site where they are needed," said Ke Cheng, Randall B. Terry, Jr. Distinguished Professor in Regenerative Medicine at NC State's College of Veterinary Medicine and professor in the NC State/UNC Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering.

"But we were also interested in how DP cells regulate the follicle growth process, so we looked at the exosomes, specifically, exosomal miRNAs from that microenvironment." 

Exosomes are tiny miRNA-containing sacs secreted by cells. These miRNAs regulate gene expression and Cheng and his team found that they could promote the molecular pathway responsible for creating hair follicle growth.

More specifically, they found that increasing miR-218-5p promoted hair follicle growth, while blocking it caused the follicles to stop working.