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  3. Photobiomodulation therapy for hair regeneration: A synergetic activation of β-CATENIN in hair follicle stem cells by ROS and paracrine WNTs

Photobiomodulation therapy for hair regeneration: A synergetic activation of β-CATENIN in hair follicle stem cells by ROS and paracrine WNTs

  • Stem Cell Reports. 2021 Jun 8;16(6):1568-1583. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.04.015.
Huan Jin 1,  Zhengzhi Zou 2,  Haocai Chang 1,  Qi Shen 1,  Lingfeng Liu 1,  Da Xing 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
  • 2 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Spectral Analysis and Functional Probes, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
  • 3 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 34019818 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.04.015
Abstract

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has shown encouraging results in the treatment of hair loss. However, the mechanism by which PBMT controls cell behavior to coordinate hair cycle is unclear. Here, PBMT is found to drive quiescent hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) activation and alleviate hair follicle atrophy. Mechanistically, PBMT triggers a new hair cycle by upregulating β-catenin expression in HFSCs. Loss of β-catenin (Ctnnb1) in HFSCs blocked PBMT-induced hair regeneration. Additionally, we show PBMT-induced Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) activate the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway to inhibit Proteasome degradation of β-catenin in HFSCs. Furthermore, PBMT promotes the expression and secretion of WNTs in skin-derived precursors (SKPs) to further activate the β-catenin signal in HFSCs. By contrast, eliminating ROS or inhibiting Wnt secretion attenuates the activation of HFSCs triggered by PBMT. Collectively, our work suggests that PBMT promotes hair regeneration through synergetic activation of β-catenin in HFSCs by ROS and paracrine WNTs by SKPs.

Keywords

GSK-3β/β-CATENIN; hair follicle stem cells; hair regeneration; photobiomodulation therapy; skin-derived precursors.

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