Development of Chinese herbal medicine for sensorineural hearing loss

According to the World Health Organization's world report on hearing, nearly 2.5 billion people worldwide will suffer from hearing loss by 2050, which may contribute to a severe impact on individual life quality and national economies. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) occurs commonly as a result of noise exposure, aging, and ototoxic drugs, and is pathologically characterized by the impairment of mechanosensory hair cells of the inner ear, which is mainly triggered by reactive oxygen species accumulation, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Though recent advances have been made in understanding the ability of cochlear repair and regeneration, there are still no effective therapeutic drugs for SNHL. Chinese herbal medicine which is widely distributed and easily accessible in China has demonstrated a unique curative effect against SNHL with higher safety and lower cost compared with Western medicine. Herein we present trends in research for Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of SNHL, and elucidate their molecular mechanisms of action, to pave the way for further research and development of novel effective drugs in this field.

Stem Cell-Based Hair Cell Regeneration and Therapy in the Inner Ear / 神经科学通报·英文版

Hearing loss has become increasingly prevalent and causes considerable disability, thus gravely burdening the global economy. Irreversible loss of hair cells is a main cause of sensorineural hearing loss, and currently, the only relatively effective clinical treatments are limited to digital hearing equipment like cochlear implants and hearing aids, but these are of limited benefit in patients. It is therefore urgent to understand the mechanisms of damage repair in order to develop new neuroprotective strategies. At present, how to promote the regeneration of functional hair cells is a key scientific question in the field of hearing research. Multiple signaling pathways and transcriptional factors trigger the activation of hair cell progenitors and ensure the maturation of newborn hair cells, and in this article, we first review the principal mechanisms underlying hair cell reproduction. We then further discuss therapeutic strategies involving the co-regulation of multiple signaling pathways in order to induce effective functional hair cell regeneration after degeneration, and we summarize current achievements in hair cell regeneration. Lastly, we discuss potential future approaches, such as small molecule drugs and gene therapy, which might be applied for regenerating functional hair cells in the clinic.

MSC-derived exosomes protect auditory hair cells from neomycin-induced damage via autophagy regulation

BACKGROUND: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) poses a major threat to both physical and mental health; however, there is still a lack of effective drugs to treat the disease. Recently, novel biological therapies, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their products, namely, exosomes, are showing promising therapeutic potential due to their low immunogenicity, few ethical concerns, and easy accessibility. Nevertheless, the precise mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of MSC-derived exosomes remain unclear. RESULTS: Exosomes derived from MSCs reduced hearing and hair cell loss caused by neomycin-induced damage in models in vivo and in vitro. In addition, MSC-derived exosomes modulated autophagy in hair cells to exert a protective effect. Mechanistically, exogenously administered exosomes were internalized by hair cells and subsequently upregulated endocytic gene expression and endosome formation, ultimately leading to autophagy activation. This increased autophagic activity promoted cell survival, decreased the mitochondrial oxidative stress level and the apoptosis rate in hair cells, and ameliorated neomycin-induced ototoxicity. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our findings reveal the otoprotective capacity of exogenous exosome-mediated autophagy activation in hair cells in an endocytosis-dependent manner, suggesting possibilities for deafness treatment.

Female-pattern hair loss: therapeutic update

Abstract Female androgenetic alopecia or female-pattern hair loss (FPHL) is highly prevalent and has a great impact on the quality of life. The treatment is a routine challenge in dermatological practice, as many therapeutic options have a limited level of evidence and often do not meet patients expectations. Lack of knowledge of the pathogenesis of the hair miniaturization process and the factors that regulate follicular morphogenesis restricts the prospect of innovative therapies. There is also a lack of randomized, controlled studies with longitudinal follow-up, using objective outcomes and exploring the performance of the available treatments and their combinations. Topical minoxidil, which has been used to treat female pattern hair loss since the 1990s, is the only medication that has a high level of evidence and remains the first choice. However, about 40% of patients do not show improvement with this treatment. In this article, the authors critically discuss the main clinical and surgical therapeutic alternatives for FPHL, as well as present camouflage methods that can be used in more extensive or unresponsive cases.

THE ROLE OF PLATELET-RICH PLASMA IN ANDROGENETIC ALOPECIA: A COMPREHENSIVE NARRATIVE REVIEW

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a promising treatment in regenerative medicine for androgenetic alopecia (AGA). PRP, derived from the patient's blood, contains a concentrated platelet fraction rich in growth factors and bioactive molecules that aid in tissue repair and wound healing. When PRP is administered, these factors are released, stimulating hair growth and regeneration. PRP's mechanism of action involves the release of growth factors like PDGF, TGF-β, VEGF, and IGF, which promote cell proliferation, activate dormant hair follicles, and induce hair cycle growth. PRP also reduces inammation, promotes angiogenesis, and may inhibit 5-alpha reductase activity, which contributes to AGA. By understanding these mechanisms, PRP can be optimized for effective hair restoration therapies in AGA

Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of female patients with chronic telogen effluvium: A randomised, controlled, double-blind, pilot clinical trial

Background: Chronic telogen effluvium is characterised by diffuse loss of hair of the scalp. One of the emerging lines of treatment is platelet-rich plasma. However, not much of published data exist. Aims: A pilot study was conducted on chronic telogen effluvium patients to evaluate the efficacy and safety of platelet-rich plasma, and to compare two different methods of platelet-rich plasma preparation. Methods: The study included 30 female patients with chronic telogen effluvium. Patients were randomised into three groups: Group (1): Special platelet-rich plasma tubes centrifuged at 3500 rpm; Group (2): Ordinary laboratory tubes centrifuged at 1000 rpm; Group (3): Normal saline as a placebo. Patients' evaluation was done with visual analog scale, hair pull test, trichoscopy, photos, satisfaction questionnaire, and safety. All patients received four monthly sessions. Patients were evaluated one month and three months after the last session. Results: The hair pull test,visual analogue scale, and patient satisfaction results showed a statistically significant difference between group 1 vs. group 3 and group 2 vs.group 3 at one and three months after the sessions, while there was no difference between group1 vs. group 2. Trichoscopy results (baseline, one and three months after treatment) showed a significant increase in hair density and thickness in the frontal area, temporal area, and the vertex in groups 1 and 2 only. There was no statistically significant difference between the three groups with regards to side effects. Limitations: The sample size was small with ten patients in each group. Furthermore, the follow-up of patients was for only three months. Conclusions: Platelet-rich plasma could be considered as a promising therapy for patients with chronic telogen effluvium with an excellent safety profile. The ordinary laboratory low-cost tubes might be a reliable alternative to the expensive special platelet-rich plasma kits tubes. The trial registry number is PACTR202006539654415

Procedimentos estéticos com ênfase na queda capilar / Aesthetic procedures with emphasis on hair loss / Procedimientos estéticos con énfasis en la caída del cabello

A beleza está diretamente ligada ao aspecto dos cabelos, em todos os tempos e todas as culturas. O cabelo ao longo da vida é sujeito a vários tipos de mudanças, sejam elas naturais ou artificiais, conduzidas por uma vontade de mudar, muitas vezes, seja por representar uma nova fase, como também é símbolo de autocuidado, vaidade, sucesso, possuem significativa importância na aparência e autoestima das pessoas e, por isso, a queda capilar pode atingir a qualidade de vida do indivíduo. Neste sentido, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar procedimentos estéticos minimamente invasivos e não cirúrgicos com ênfase na queda capilar. Para tanto, foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica integrativa, de caráter descritivo nas principais bases de dados em saúde: SciELO, Google Acadêmico, PubMed e livros de medicina, nos idiomas português, inglês e espanhol, considerando o período de 2007 a 2022. De acordo com o último censo da Sociedade Brasileira de Dermatologia, a queixa de alopecia está entre as dez mais frequentes nos consultórios dermatológicos. As doenças capilares mais importantes estão divididas em dois grupos, as cicatriciais quando a perda de cabelo é acompanhada por cicatrizes resultando em calvície permanente, e as não cicatriciais onde a calvície não é permanente levando a diminuição e o afinamento gradual do cabelo. A alopecia não cicatricial é a mais frequente e as mais comuns entre elas são a alopecia androgenética e o eflúvio telógeno. Muitos pacientes procuram tratamento para melhorar a aparência e a autoestima, que podem estar relacionados a quadros de ansiedade e depressão. Esses tratamentos devem ser individualizados, onde se deve avaliar as características individuais de cada paciente. Os tratamentos capilares estéticos podem contribuir de forma significativa para a redução da baixa autoestima, contribuindo para recuperação da autoconfiança através do crescimento capilar proporcionado pela estética. Sendo assim, conclui-se que os resultados coletados na revisão de literatura foram satisfatórios, de forma onde mostra que os medicamentos, suplementos e tratamentos estéticos na queda capilar vem evoluindo cada vez mais. Contudo, mais estudos acerca do assunto são necessários.

Beauty is directly linked to the appearance of hair, in all times and all cultures. Hair throughout life is subject to various types of changes, whether natural or artificial, driven by a desire to change, often because it represents a new phase, as it is also a symbol of self-care, vanity, success, they have significant importance in people's appearance and self-esteem and, therefore, hair loss can affect the individual's quality of life. In this sense, the objective of this study was to evaluate minimally invasive and non- surgical aesthetic procedures with an emphasis on hair loss. To this end, an integrative bibliographic review was carried out, of a descriptive nature, in the main health databases: SciELO, Google Scholar, PubMed and medical books, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, considering the period from 2007 to 2022. According to the latest census by the Brazilian Society of Dermatology, the complaint of alopecia is among the ten most frequent complaints in dermatological offices. The most important hair diseases are divided into two groups, scarring when hair loss is accompanied by scars resulting in permanent baldness, and non-scarring where baldness is not permanent leading to gradual thinning and thinning of the hair. Non-scarring alopecia is the most frequent and the most common among them are androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium. Many patients seek treatment to improve their appearance and self-esteem, which may be related to anxiety and depression. These treatments must be individualized, where the individual characteristics of each patient must be evaluated. Aesthetic hair treatments can contribute significantly to reducing low self-esteem, contributing to the recovery of self-confidence through hair growth provided by aesthetics. Therefore, it is concluded that the results collected in the literature review were satisfactory, in a way that shows that medicines, supplements and aesthetic treatments in hair loss have been evolving more and more. However, more studies on the subject are needed.

La belleza está directamente ligada al aspecto del cabello, en todos los tiempos y en todas las culturas. El cabello a lo largo de la vida está sujeto a diversos tipos de cambios, ya sean naturales o artificiales, impulsados por un deseo de cambio, a menudo, ya sea para representar una nueva etapa, como también es un símbolo de auto- cuidado, la vanidad, el éxito, tienen una importancia significativa en la apariencia y la autoestima de las personas y, por lo tanto, la pérdida del cabello puede afectar la calidad de vida del individuo. En este sentido, el objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los procedimientos estéticos mínimamente invasivos y no quirúrgicos con énfasis en la pérdida de cabello. Para ello, se realizó una revisión bibliográfica descriptiva integradora en las principales bases de datos de salud: SciELO, Google Scholar, PubMed y libros de medicina, en portugués, inglés y español, considerando el período de 2007 a 2022. Según el último censo de la Sociedad Brasileña de Dermatología, la queja de alopecia está entre las diez más frecuentes en las consultas de dermatología. Las enfermedades capilares más importantes se dividen en dos grupos, las cicatriciales, cuando la caída del cabello va acompañada de cicatrices que dan lugar a una calvicie permanente, y las no cicatriciales, cuando la calvicie no es permanente, dando lugar a un adelgazamiento y reducción gradual del cabello. Las alopecias no cicatriciales son las más frecuentes y entre ellas destacan la alopecia androgenética y el efluvio telógeno. Muchos pacientes buscan tratamiento para mejorar su aspecto y autoestima, que pueden estar relacionados con la ansiedad y la depresión. Estos tratamientos deben ser individualizados, donde se deben evaluar las características individuales de cada paciente. Los tratamientos capilares estéticos pueden contribuir significativamente a la reducción de la baja autoestima, contribuyendo a la recuperación de la confianza en uno mismo gracias al crecimiento del cabello que proporciona la estética. Por lo tanto, se concluye que los resultados recogidos en la revisión bibliográfica fueron satisfactorios, mostrando que los medicamentos, suplementos y tratamientos estéticos para la caída del cabello están evolucionando cada vez más. Sin embargo, son necesarios más estudios sobre el tema.

Tricofoliculomas múltiples: reporte de un caso / Multiple trichofolliculomas: a case report

Resumen El tricofoliculomaes un tumor benigno infrecuente del folículo piloso, de mayor prevalencia entre la segunda y la sexta década de vida. Suele presentarse como una lesión solitaria en forma de nódulo,pápulas o placas del color de la piel,asintomático, con un poro o cavidad central obstruido con queratina de la que emerge un "penacho de pelos".La localización más frecuente suele ser el rostro, seguido del cuero cabelludo y el cuello.1Las características histopatológicas son diagnósticas. Se reporta el caso clínico de un paciente de 44 años de edad con tricofoliculomas múltiples en rostro.

Abstract Trichofolliculoma is an infrequent benign tumor of the hair follicle, with a higher prevalence between the second and sixth decade of life. It usually presents as a solitary lesion in the form of a nodule, papules or asymptomatic skin-colored plaques with a pore or central cavity obstructed with keratin from which a "tuft of hairs" emerges.The most frequent location is usually the face, followed by the scalp and neck.1 Histopathological characteristics are diagnostic. We report a case of a 44-year-old man with multiple trichofolliculomas on his face.

Single-cell profiling reveals a potent role of quercetin in promoting hair regeneration

Hair loss affects millions of people at some time in their life, and safe and efficient treatments for hair loss are a significant unmet medical need. We report that topical delivery of quercetin (Que) stimulates resting hair follicles to grow with rapid follicular keratinocyte proliferation and replenishes perifollicular microvasculature in mice. We construct dynamic single-cell transcriptome landscape over the course of hair regrowth and find that Que treatment stimulates the differentiation trajectory in the hair follicles and induces an angiogenic signature in dermal endothelial cells by activating HIF-1α in endothelial cells. Skin administration of a HIF-1α agonist partially recapitulates the pro-angiogenesis and hair-growing effects of Que. Together, these findings provide a molecular understanding for the efficacy of Que in hair regrowth, which underscores the translational potential of targeting the hair follicle niche as a strategy for regenerative medicine, and suggest a route of pharmacological intervention that may promote hair regrowth.

Research Progress on Biological Matrix Reference Materials in Forensic Toxicology / 法医学杂志

Biological matrix reference material is a reference material that combines the target material with the biological matrix. The biological matrix reference material has higher consistency with the authentic specimens in forensic toxicology, and its application has a positive effect on improving the accuracy of test results. This paper reviews the research on the matrix reference materials corresponding to three common biological test materials (blood, urine and hair). In order to provide reference for the development and application of biological matrix reference materials in forensic toxicology, this paper mainly introduces the research progress of preparation technology of biological matrix reference materials and some existing products and their parameters evaluation.

Analysis of Forty-Two Psychoactive Substances in a Single Hair by Micro-Segmental Technique / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To establish an LC-MS/MS method based on single hair micro-segmental technique, and verify the detection of 42 psychoactive substances in 0.4 mm hair segments.@*METHODS@#Each piece of single hair was cut into 0.4 mm segments and extracted by sonication and the segments were immersed in dithiothreitol-containing extraction medium. Mobile phase A was the aqueous solution containing 20 mmol/L ammonium acetate, 0.1% formic acid, and 5% acetonitrile. Mobile phase B was acetonitrile. An electrospray ionization source in positive ion mode was used for data acquisition in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode.@*RESULTS@#The 42 psychoactive substances in hair had a good linear relationship within their respective linear ranges (r>0.99), the limits of detection were 0.2-10 pg/mm, the limits of quantification were 0.5-20 pg/mm, the intra-day and inter-day precisions were 1.5%-12.7%, the intra-day and inter-day accuracies were 86.5%-109.2%, the recovery rates were 68.1%-98.2%, and the matrix effects were 71.3%-111.7%. The method was applied to hair samples collected from one volunteer at 28 d after a single dose of zolpidem, with zolpidem detected in 5 hairs was 1.08-1.60 cm near the root tip, and the concentration range was 0.62-20.5 pg/mm.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The micro-segmental technique of single hair analysis can be applied to the investigation of drug-facilitated sexual assault cases.

Effect study of Sonic hedgehog overexpressed hair follicle stem cells in hair follicle regeneration / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the expression level of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in the passage of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs), analyze the effect of Shh overexpression on the proliferation activity of HFSCs, and explore the survival of HFSCs after Shh overexpression and its effect on hair follicle regeneration.@*METHODS@#Hair follicles from the normal area (H1 group) and alopecia area (H2 group) of the scalp donated by 20 female alopecia patients aged 40-50 years old were taken, and the middle part of the hair follicle was cut under the microscope to culture, and the primary HFSCs were obtained and passaged; the positive markers (CD29, CD71) and negative marker (CD34) on the surface of the fourth generation HFSCs were identified by flow cytometry. The two groups of HFSCs were transfected with Shh-overexpressed lentivirus. Flow cytometry and cell counting kit 8 assay were used to detect the cell cycle changes and cell proliferation of HFSCs before and after transfection, respectively. Then the HFSCs transfected with Shh lentivirus were transplanted subcutaneously into the back of nude mice as the experimental group, and the same amount of saline was injected as the control group. At 5 weeks after cell transplantation, the expression of Shh protein in the back skin tissue of nude mice was detected by Western blot. HE staining and immunofluorescence staining were used to compare the number of hair follicles and the survival of HFSCs between groups.@*RESULTS@#The isolated and cultured cells were fusiform and firmly attached to the wall; flow cytometry showed that CD29 and CD71 were highly expressed on the surface of the cells, while CD34 was lowly expressed, suggesting that the cultured cells were HFSCs. The results of real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot showed that the expression levels of Shh protein and gene in the 4th, 7th, and 10th passages of cells in H1 and H2 groups decreased gradually with the prolongation of culture time in vitro. After overexpression of Shh, the proliferation activity of HFSCs in the two groups was significantly higher than that in the blank group (not transfected with lentivirus) and the negative control group (transfected with negative control lentivirus), and the proliferation activity of HFSCs in H1 group was significantly higher than that in H2 group before and after transfection, showing significant differences ( P<0.05). At 5 weeks after cell transplantation, Shh protein was stably expressed in the dorsal skin of each experimental group; the number of hair follicles and the expression levels of HFSCs markers (CD71, cytokeratin 15) in each experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the number of hair follicles and the expression levels of HFSCs markers in H1 group were significantly higher than those in H2 group, and the differences were significant ( P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Lentivirus-mediated Shh can be successfully transfected into HFSCs, the proliferation activity of HFSCs significantly increase after overexpression of Shh, which can secrete and express Shh continuously and stably, and promote hair follicle regeneration by combining the advantages of stem cells and Shh.

Advance of hair follicle targeted drug delivery systems in the treatment of acne and hair loss / 药学学报

Hair follicle (HF), one of the skin appendages, has received a lot of attention to be a new target and pathway for drug delivery. The development of hair follicle targeted drug delivery system (HFTDDS) through percutaneous permeation is particularly important for skin diseases derived from HF such as acne, hair loss, and folliculitis for their on-site action. This review describes the structure and physiological function of HF, the microenvironment of HF, and factors affecting HF permeation. Multiple nanoformulations used to improve the HF permeation and technologies to characterize the HF permeation were introduced. The latest advance of HFTDDS based on nanoformulations were systematically summarized and analyzed in the treatment of acne and hair loss. Finally, the challenges of formulating HFTDDS were discussed. The review is expected to provide some ideas and references for developing delivery systems for treating skin diseases derived from HF.

Investigation on the use of new types of drugs among HIV/AIDS patients in Ningbo City / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the use of new types of drugs among HIV/AIDS patients in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, so as to provide insights into surveillance and interventions for use of new types of drugs among HIV/AIDS patients.@*Methods@#The HIV/AIDS patients in Ningbo City were randomly sampled from the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Information System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. Patients' demographics, use of new types of drugs and sexual behaviors were collected using questionnaire surveys. Patients' hair samples were collected, and new types of drugs were determined in hair using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In addition, factors affecting the use of new types of drugs were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model.@*Results@#A total of 254 HIV/AIDS patients were enrolled, including 214 men (84.25%), 31 cases aged under 25 years (12.20%), 66 cases aged 25 to 30 years (25.98%), and 157 cases aged 31 to 75 years (61.81%). There were 30 cases reported previous use of new drugs (11.81%), including 27 cases reported previous use of methamphetamine (90.00%). There were 48 cases tested positive of new types of drugs, with a positive rate of 18.90%, including 44 cases tested positive for methamphetamine (91.67%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified age (25 to 30 years, OR=6.926, 95%CI: 1.412-33.969), occupation (students/teachers/cadres/employees/retirees, OR=6.971, 95%CI: 2.123-22.889; housekeeping and housework servants/unemployed, OR=3.356, 95%CI: 1.289-8.739; business/public place servants, OR=2.447, 95%CI: 1.033-4.448) and syphilis infection during recent six months (OR=3.491, 95%CI: 1.664-7.326) as factors affecting the use of new types drugs among HIV/AIDS patients. @*Conclusions @#The use of new types of drugs exists in HIV/AIDS patients in Ningbo City. Age, occupation and syphilis infection were associated with the use of new types of drugs among HIV/AIDS patients.

Effect of follicular unit transplantation on hair loss of the head and face / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective:To explore the therapeutic effect of follicular unit excision on the hair loss of head and face.Methods:From September 2019 to September 2020, 24 patients with hair loss of head and face who were treated in the plastic and aesthetic surgery of Henan Provincial People′s Hospital were used as the research objects. According to the characteristics of the patients′ hair loss areas, hair follicles were obtained from healthy scalp by using the follicular unit excision. After the operation, the survival of transplanted hair follicles, the direction of hair growth, and patient satisfaction were followed up to observe the repair effect.Results:Fifteen cases of partial scalp loss hair, 8 cases of partial loss of eyelashes, and 1 case of partial lack of eyelashes, after hair transplantation, the hair growth in the operation area was good, the direction was basically the same as that of the original hair, and the cosmetic effect of hair coverage was satisfactory. After 9-18 months of follow-up, the hair survived well.Conclusions:The use of follicular unit excision technology to repair the hair loss on the head and face is an ideal treatment method, with less trauma, quick recovery, and satisfactory cosmetic effects.

Association of microbiota with hair and scalp diseases / 中华皮肤科杂志

Skin microbiota is associated with various skin diseases. Scalp hair follicles penetrate deeply into the skin, and carry complex microbial communities distinct from those on the skin surface. Local imbalance of microbial communities may impair the skin barrier function, leading to a variety of hair and scalp diseases. This review discusses changes in microbial diversity and colonization by specific microorganisms in various hair diseases, including dandruff, folliculitis decalvans, etc., and provides new ideas for exploring the pathogenesis of and therapeutic strategies for various hair and scalp diseases.

mTOR signaling pathway in hair follicle biology / 中华皮肤科杂志

Recent studies have found that the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway affects the growth and development of hair follicles, and is closely related to hair growth cycle. This review summarizes the effect of mTOR signaling pathway on the hair growth cycle, and provides new ideas for the treatment of hair diseases.

Role of different melanocyte populations in the reconstitution of pigmented hair follicles / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To observe whether hair follicle cells from mice of different species can integrate to generate new pigmented hair follicles, and to explore the role of different melanocyte populations in pigmented hair follicle reconstruction in mice.Methods:The epidermal cell population, hair follicle epithelial cell population and dermal cell population were isolated from the skin of fetal or neonatal C57BL/6J and BALB/C mice, and epidermal melanocytes were obtained by culture and purification of the epidermal cell population. The experiments were divided into 3 parts: (1) hair follicle reconstruction experiment in neonatal C57BL/6J mice, which included 2 groups: epidermal cells + hair follicle epithelial cells group and dermal cells group; (2) chimeric hair follicle reconstruction experiment, which included 4 groups: dermal cells of neonatal C57BL/6J mice group, dermal cells of neonatal BALB/C mice group, dermal cells of neonatal BALB/C mice + dermal cells of neonatal C57BL/6J mice group, and dermal cells of fetal BALB/C mice + dermal cells of fetal C57BL/6J mice group; (3) pigmented hair follicle reconstruction experiment, which included 3 groups: dermal cells of neonatal BALB/C mice + epidermal cells of neonatal C57BL/6J mice group, dermal cells of neonatal BALB/C mice + hair follicle epithelial cells of neonatal C57BL/6J mice group, and dermal cells of neonatal BALB/C mice + cultured C57BL/6J epidermal melanocytes group. Different cells were implanted into dorsal skin fold chambers of the nude mice, and there were 4 mice in each group. At weeks 4 and 8 after inoculation, hair follicle reconstruction was assessed by gross observation, histological examination and immunofluorescence assay.Results:Among the 8 BALB/C nude mice in the 2 groups in the hair follicle reconstruction experiment, 7 survived and 1 died of wound infections on week 4 after inoculation; at weeks 4 and 8 after inoculation, no hair growth was observed in the epidermal cells + hair follicle epithelial cells group (3 mice) , while normal hair grew out in the dermal cells group (4 mice) mixed with epithelial components. Among the 16 BALB/C nude mice in the 4 groups in the chimeric hair follicle reconstruction experiment, 14 survived and 2 died of wound infections on week 4 after inoculation; at weeks 4 and 8 after inoculation, brown-grey hair grew well in the dermal cells of neonatal BALB/C mice + dermal cells of neonatal C57BL/6J mice group (4 mice) , and dermal cells of fetal BALB/C mice + dermal cells of fetal C57BL/6J mice group (3 mice) . Among the 12 BALB/C nude mice in the 3 groups in the pigmented hair follicle reconstruction experiment, 10 survived and 2 died of wound infections on week 4 after inoculation; at weeks 4 and 8 after inoculation, only white hair grew out in the dermal cells of neonatal BALB/C mice + cultured C57BL/6J epidermal melanocytes group (3 mice) , and no hair follicle melanocytes were observed by immunofluorescence assay, while brown-grey hair grew well in the dermal cells of neonatal BALB/C mice + epidermal cells of neonatal C57BL/6J mice group (4 mice) , and dermal cells of neonatal BALB/C mice + hair follicle epithelial cells of neonatal C57BL/6J mice group (3 mice) .Conclusions:The interaction between mesenchymal cells and hair follicle epithelial cells is a necessary condition for hair follicle reconstruction. The hair follicle cells from different species of mice can integrate to generate new pigmented hair follicles. Both hair follicle melanocytes and epidermal melanocytes can participate in the formation of pigmented hair follicles, but differentiated melanocytes have no such ability.

Clinical and mutation analysis of a case of Noonan-like syndrome with loose anagen hair / 中华皮肤科杂志

To report a case of Noonan-like syndrome with loose anagen hair, and to detect gene mutations in the family. A 3-year-old female patient presented with a special facial appearance, short stature, deep palmar and plantar creases, and dark skin. The scalp hair was sparse and thin, dermoscopy showed black spot sign, single-hair follicular units, hair shafts varying in the diameter, upright hair and new vellus hair, and constriction of hair shafts and nodular hair were occasionally observed. Peripheral blood samples were collected from the proband and her parents, and the genomic DNA was extracted for whole-exome sequencing. A heterozygous missense mutation c.4A>G was identified in exon 2 of the SHOC2 gene in the proband, resulting in the substitution of serine by glycine at amino acid position 2 (p.S2G) . The mutation was not identified in either of her parents. Combined with the clinical phenotype and gene mutation, the diagnosis of Noonan-like syndrome with loose anagen hair was confirmed.

Inhibition of histone methyltransferase PRMT5 attenuates cisplatin-induced hearing loss through the PI3K/Akt-mediated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway / 药物分析学报

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of inhibiting protein arginine methyltransferase 5(PRMT5)in cisplatin-induced hearing loss.The effects of PRMT5 inhibition on cisplatin-induced auditory injury were determined using immunohistochemistry,apoptosis assays,and auditory brainstem response.The mechanism of PRMT5 inhibition on hair cell survival was assessed using RNA-seq and Cleavage Under Targets and Tagment-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(CUT&Tag-qPCR)analyses in the HEI-OC1 cell line.Pharmacological inhibition of PRMT5 significantly alleviated cisplatin-induced damage to hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea and decreased apoptosis by protecting mitochondrial function and preventing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species.CUT&Tag-qPCR analysis demonstrated that inhibition of PRMT5 in HEI-OC1 cells reduced the accumulation of H4R3me2s/H3R8me2s marks at the promoter region of the Pik3ca gene,thus activating the expression of Pik3ca.These findings suggest that PRMT5 inhibitors have strong potential as agents against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity and can lay the foundation for further research on treatment strategies of hearing loss.