University of California, Irvine-led researchers have discovered that a signaling molecule called SCUBE3 potently stimulates hair growth and may offer a therapeutic treatment for androgenetic alopecia, a common form of hair loss in both women and men.

Figure 1: signaling molecule potently stimulates hair growth for both men and women.

Figure 1 shows that the study, determined the precise mechanism by which the dermal papilla cells – specialized signal-making fibroblasts at the bottom of each hair follicle – promote new growth.

“At different times during the hair follicle life cycle, the very same dermal papilla cells can send signals that either keep follicles dormant or trigger new hair growth,” said Maksim Plikus.[1]

The study revealed that the SCUBE3 signaling molecule, which dermal papilla cells produce naturally, is the messenger used to 'tell' the neighboring hair stem cells to start dividing, which heralds the onset of new hair growth.

In another round of experiments, the scientists injected SCUBE3 into mouse skin, onto which they'd transplanted human scalp follicles. This indeed led to potent stimulation of hair growth, both in the dormant human follicles and the mouse follicles that surrounded them. [2]

For their research, Professor Plikus and colleagues developed a mouse model with hyperactivated dermal papilla cells and excessive hair.

“Studying this mouse model permitted us to identify SCUBE3 as the previously unknown signaling molecule that can drive excessive hair growth,” said first author Dr. Yingzi Liu, the University of California, Irvine.

The researchers then microinjected SCUBE3 into mouse skin in which human scalp follicles had been transplanted, inducing new growth in both the dormant human and surrounding mouse follicles.

“These experiments provide proof-of-principle data that SCUBE3 or derived molecules can be a promising therapeutic for hair loss,” said co-first author Dr. Christian Guerrero-Juarez, the University of California, Irvine.

“There is a strong need for new, effective hair loss medicines, and naturally occurring compounds that are normally used by the dermal papilla cells present ideal next-generation candidates for treatment,” Professor Plikus added. “Our test in the human hair transplant model validates the preclinical potential of SCUBE3.” [3]

UCI has filed a provisional patent application on the use of SCUBE3 and its related molecular compounds for hair growth stimulation. Further research will be conducted in the Plikus lab and at Amplifica Holdings Group Inc., [1]

References:

1. https://news.uci.edu/2022/06/30/uci-led-team-discovers-signaling-molecule-that-potently-stimulates-hair-growth/
2. https://newatlas.com/medical/baldness-hair-growth-stimulator-alopecia-scube3/
3. http://www.sci-news.com/biology/scube3-signaling-molecule-hair-growth-10961.html

Cite this article:

Sri Vasagi K (2022), Researcher Discovered SCUBE3 Stimulates Hair Growth, AnaTechMax, pp.200