Malva verticillata seed extracts upregulate the Wnt pathway in human dermal papilla cells. (25th August 2015) - Lee, E. Y.
Synopsis: Objective: Mesenchymal–epithelial interactions are important in controlling hair growth and the hair cycle. The β ‐catenin pathway of dermal papilla cells (DPCs) plays a pivotal role in morphogenesis and normal regeneration of hair follicles. Deletion of β ‐catenin in the dermal papilla reduces proliferation of the hair follicle progenitor cells that generate the hair shaft and induces an early onset of the catagen phase. In this study, a modulator of the Wnt/ β ‐catenin activity was studied in oriental herb extracts on cultured human DPCs. Methods: The effect of Malva verticillata ( M. verticillata ) seeds on human DPCs was investigated by a Wnt/ β ‐catenin reporter activity assay system ( β ‐catenin–TCF/LEF reporter gene) and cell proliferation analysis. The synthesis of the factors related to hair growth and cycling was measured at both the mRNA and the protein level by semi‐quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results: An extract from M. verticillata seeds increased Wnt reporter activity in a concentration‐dependent manner and also led to increased β ‐catenin levels in cultured human DPCs. Myristoleic acid, identified as an effective compound of M. verticillata seeds, stimulated the proliferation of DPCs in a dose‐dependent manner and increased transcription levels of the downstream targets: IGF‐1, KGF, VEGF and HGF. Myristoleic acid also enhanced the phosphorylation of MAPKs (Akt and p38). Conclusion: Overall, the data suggest that this extract of M. verticillata seeds could be a good candidate for treating hair loss by modulating the Wnt/ β ‐catenin pathway in DPCs.