Lithium chloride-treated human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived exsomes promote hair growth by regulating miR-146a-5p-wnt pathway

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

The regulation of the hair cycle is orchestrated by a complex network of signaling pathways, and substantial evidence from extensive research indicates that exosomal miRNAs may play a pivotal role in this process. In this study, we present compelling evidence that exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs), pretreated with the Wnt pathway agonist lithium chloride (LiCl), significantly enhance hair regeneration. High-throughput sequencing was utilized to identify differentially expressed miRNAs in exosomes from both LiCl-pre-treated and untreated groups, thereby elucidating potential mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Specifically, miR-146a-5p was found to activate the Wnt signaling pathway, thereby promoting the proliferation and migration of primary dermal papilla cells in mice. The downstream target genes of miR-146a-5p, including SFRP1, SMAD2, SMAD4, and EGFR, were predicted using bioinformatics tools and subsequently validated through experimental validation. An animal model overexpressing miR-146a-5p was constructed, demonstrating that miR-146a-5p targets SFRP1 to promote hair regeneration in mice via activation of the Wnt signaling pathway.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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