• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.345-350
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• 2018

This study examines the role of six species of microalgae, including Phaeodacylum tricrnutum (PT), Chaetoceros gracilis (CG), Nanochloris oculata (NO), Pavlova lutheri (PL), Chlorella ellipsoidae (CE), and Scendedemus obliquus (SO), on hair loss prevention and scalp improvement. To determine the effects of microalgae extracts on hair loss prevention and scalp improvement, antioxidant activity, cell proliferation in HaCaT cells and HFDPC cells, and the inhibition level of 5-alpha reductase activity were examined. In the study of antioxidant activity, the $EC_{50}$ values of DPPH anti-radical activities indicated that the SO, CG, and ST9 treatment groups demonstrate significant antioxidant activity. In the study of the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, CG (6.6~42.1%), ST9 (26.0~44.0%), and SO (7.8~44.3%) demonstrated significant effects. Furthermore, SO promoted the proliferation of HaCaT cells and a human epidermal cell line during a 6-day treatment. In the study of the proliferation of HFDPC cells, a hair follicle dermal papilla cell line, CG, and SO significantly stimulated cell proliferation. Finally, PT, CG, and SO significantly inhibited 5-alpha reductase activity. These results suggest that among the six microalgae used in this study, CG and SO have antioxidant effects, induce cell proliferation, inhibit 5-alpha reductase activity, and can be used for hair loss prevention and scalp improvement.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.18-32
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the safety, effects on proliferation of hair papilla cells, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms of Artemisia sieversiana Ehrh. ex Willd. (AS) extract. Methods: Safety tests through purity testing, acute toxicity tests, and repeated toxicity tests were performed using AS extract (ASE) which had been dried for over two years. Cell culture and proliferation tests were conducted; VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor), and EGF (epidermal growth factor) and protein expression analyses were performed for mechanistic evaluation; and inhibitory effects of ASE on the RNA expression of testosterone, 5𝛼-reductase, and aromatase was assessed. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant efficacy of ASE was confirmed by measuring the levels of nitric oxide, inflammatory mediators (TNF-𝛼 and PGE2), inflammatory cytokines (IL-1𝛽, IL-6, and IL-8), and chemokine MCP-1. Results: The safety of ASE was confirmed. The mechanism of cell proliferation in human hair follicle dermal papilla cells involved the promotion of VEGF, bFGF, and EGF expression. ASE decreased mRNA expression of testosterone, 5𝛼-reductase, and aromatase-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. PGE2 and TNF-𝛼 production by inflammatory mediators was also significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner, and inflammatory cytokine and chemokine expression was inhibited. Conclusions: ASE is suggested to promote papillary cell growth at the cellular level, to suppress expression of various enzymes involved in hair cycle and cell death, and to inhibit hair loss through anti-androgen, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.279-291
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• 2021

Hair loss is one of the most common chronic diseases, with a detrimental effect on a patient's psychosocial life. Hair loss results from damage to the hair follicle (HF) and/or hair regeneration cycle. Various damaging factors, such as hereditary, inflammation, and aging, impair hair regeneration by inhibiting the activation of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) and dermal papilla cells (DPCs). Formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) regulates the inflammatory response and the activity of various types of stem cells, and has recently been reported to have a protective effect on hair loss. Given that stem cell activity is the driving force for hair regeneration, we hypothesized that FPR2 influences hair regeneration by mediating HFSC activity. To prove this hypothesis, we investigated the role of FPR2 in hair regeneration using Fpr2 knockout (KO) mice. Fpr2 KO mice were found to have excessive hair loss and abnormal HF structures and skin layer construction compared to wild-type (WT) mice. The levels of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and β-catenin, which promote HF regeneration, were significantly decreased, and the expression of bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp)2/4, an inhibitor of the anagen phase, was significantly increased in Fpr2 KO mice compared to WT mice. The proliferation of HFSCs and DPCs was significantly lower in Fpr2 KO mice than in WT mice. These findings demonstrate that FPR2 impacts signaling molecules that regulate HF regeneration, and is involved in the proliferation of HFSCs and DPCs, exerting a protective effect on hair loss.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.127-130
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• 1999

Cytological changes of cowpea root at the early stage of root nodule formation (within 5 days after inoculation) were viewed by light and electron microscopy. The root region affected by the rhizobial infection, which was composed of a redial array of cortical cells, had prominent cell divisions, mostly anticlinal in the inner cortical cells and in addition oblique and periclinal in the outer cells. An infected root hair cell (or root hair-producing epidermal cell) had numerous infection threads and degenerated cytoplasm. Module meristem was formed adjacent to the infected root hair cell, and characterized by dense cytoplasm, prominent nucleus, numerous small vacuoles, and increased plastids, containing infection threads as well. Bacterial cells were dividing inside the infection thread, the wall materials of which appeared to be dissolved ad accumulated in small vacuoles. inner cortical cells contiguous to the nodule meristem appeared to be actively dividing and dedifferentiating; however, they were not infected by the rhizobia. These structural characteristics are similar to those in the Bradyrhizobium-soybean association previously reported, and may reflect the similar cytological process in cowpea in the early nodule formation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.506-515
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• 2024

Primary human dermal papilla cells (HDPCs) are often preferred in studies on hair growth and regeneration. However, primary HDPCs are limited by their reduced proliferative capacity, decreased hair induction potential, and extended doubling times at higher passages. To overcome these limitations, pTARGET vectors containing human papillomavirus16 (HPV16) E6/E7 oncogenes were transfected into HDPCs and selected using G-148 to generate immortalized cells here. HPV16 E6/E7 oncogenes were efficiently transfected into primary HDPCs. Immortalized HDPC showed higher proliferative activity than primary HDPC, confirming an increased proliferation rate. Expression of p53 and pRb proteins was downregulated by E6 and E7, respectively. E6/E7 expressing HDPC cells revealed that cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p21 expression was decreased, while cell cycle-related genes and proteins (CDK2 and cyclin E) and E2F family genes were upregulated. Immortalized HDPCs maintained their responsiveness to Wnt/β-catenin pathway and hair follicle formation capability, as indicated by their aggregative properties and stemness. E6/E7 immortalized HDPCs may facilitate in vitro hair growth and regeneration studies.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2016

Objectives: Cornu cervi pantotrichum (CCP) has been widely used in Korean and China, as an anti-fatigue, anti-aging, and tonic agent to enhance the functions of the reproductive and the immune systems. Because CCP has various growth factors that play important roles in the development of hair follicles, we examined whether CCP pharmacopuncture solution (CCPPS) was capable of promoting hair growth in an animal model. Methods: One day after hair depilation, CCPPS were topically applied to the dorsal skin of C57BL/6 mice once a day for 15 days. Hair growth activity was evaluated by using macro- and microscopic observations. Dorsal skin tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Expressions of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-7 were examined by using immunohistochemical staining. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was also conducted to measure the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of FGF-7. Results: CCPPS induced more active hair growth than normal saline. Histologic analysis showed enlargement of the dermal papilla, elongation of the hair shaft, and expansion of hair thickness in CCPPS treated mice, indicating that CCPPS effectively induced the development of anagen. CCPPS treatment markedly increased the expressions of BrdU and PCNA in the hair follicles of C57BL/6 mice. In addition, CCPPS up regulated the expression of FGF-7, which plays an important role in the development of hair follicles. Conclusion: These results reveal that CCPPS facilitates hair re-growth by proliferation of hair follicular cells and up-regulation of FGF-7 and suggest that CCPPS can potentially be applied as an alternative treatment for patients with alopecia.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2006

This study applied a bleaching agent. which is commonly used in the beauty salons, to the hair of normal adult women, collected the hair immediately and 10 days and 20 days from the bleaching, were investigated the degree of degradation of the hair by using scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The surface of hair just after bleaching was observed to be similar to that of normal hair, showing no split or damage of scale. In the hair of 10 days after bleaching, however, the scale came off. From this time, scale on the cuticular layer of hair began to be separated. In 10 days from bleaching, the scale on the cuticular layer was separated from hair and some cytoplasm of cuticular cells was broken into pieces or fell off. The cell remains made the surface coarse and uneven. At this period, damaged scales had a sharp end. In the hair of 20 days after bleaching, scale fell off from the whole surface of the hair and the surface looked rough. On the bleached hair, many vacuoles were formed in the endocuticle of cuticular cells. As a result, deformation caused by the formation of vacuoles in cuticles broke up the cuticular cells.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.359-362
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• 2003

The recent development of methods for culturing hair follicles in vitro has proved an important tool to investigate many aspects of drug screening. Human hair follicle is composed of multiple types of cells, whose interactions regulate morphology and cycling-anagen, catagen, and telogen. Many investigators have tried to develop models to prolong of the period of hair elongation in vitro. However these are limited in submerged culture, which don't work due to the lack of cell-cell interactions which are abundant in vivo environment. So we applied dermal equivalent (DE) to culturing flair follicles to prolong hair growth period.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.356-361
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• 2017

Houttuyniae Herba is widely used as a cosmetic for enhancing hair growth, and study on promoting mouse hair growth has also been reported. However, studies on the effects of the Houttuyniae Herba on dermal papilla (DP) cells, which play an important role in hair growth, are not well known. For this reason, we studied the effect of Houttuyniae Herba on DP cells. The strong antioxidant activity of Houttuyniae Herba was confirmed by ABTS assay. In the MTS assay, cell viability was reduced to 94.5% in DP cells by treatment of 2 mg/ml concentration of Houttuyniae Herb and cytotoxicity was not observed at 1 mg/ml concentration. The mRNA expression levels of Bone morphogenetic pretein (BMP6), fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7), FGF10, and ${\beta}$-galactosidase genes, which are involved in hair growth cycle and hair loss induction, were measured by quantitative RT-PCR after Houttuyniae Herbtreatment. Houttuyniae Herb did not significantly affect mRNA expression of BMP6, FGF7, FGF10, and ${\beta}$-catenin, which are important factors for regulating the hair cycle, including type 1 $5{\alpha}$-reductase. However, mRNA expression of type 2 $5{\alpha}$-reductase, the major cause of male hair loss, was significantly reduced to 56.1% by treatment of Houttuyniae Herbtreatment. Taken together, these results suggest that the Houttuyniae Herbtreatment can help to treat lair loss through removing free radicals and suppression of the expression level of type 2 $5{\alpha}$-reductase in DP cells.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2002

Objectives : To evaluate the DNA damage by hair dyeing in human lymphocytes Methods : Comet assays were carried out to evaluate the DNA damage in lymphocytes by hair dyeing. Twenty subjects were selected from women volunteers whose age ranged from 55 to 67 year old. All subjects had no smoking history. Blood samples were collected before and 6 hours after hair dyeing. DNA damage was evaluated by means of the tail moments, which were quantified by a KOMET 4.0 image analysis system. Results : The tail moments before hair dyeing showed no significant differences among subjects except for the high frequency group. The mean values of the tail moments in subjects with low and high frequencies of hair dyeing were 1.39 and 1.77, respectively (p<0.05). The tail moments after hair dyeing increased significantly, The mean values of tail moments in subjects before and after hair dyeing were 1.45 and 1.79, respectively (p<0.01). However, the difference levels of DNA damage in lymphocytes before and after hair dyeing were found to be slightly lower in both the dietary supplement taking group and high frequency group. Conclusions : The high frequency group appears to have a higher level of DNA damage than the low frequency group before hair dyeing. DNA damage in lymphocytes was found to be significantly higher in the volunteers after hair dyeing. In this study, the related factors such as high frequency and taking dietary supplements appeard to reduce DNA damage in lymphocytes after hair dyeing.