It turns out that a gel of small keratin spheres promotes the growth of hair follicles. Given that our bodies naturally produce keratin, this study highlights the potential application of using keratin microspheres as a safe and effective hair growth treatment.
Keratin is added to shampoos and conditioners to strengthen hair and improve its appearance. They also produce proteins that perform the same function. Keeps hair, skin and nails healthy and strong. Keratin-based nanoparticles have been investigated as carriers for anticancer, antibacterial, and wound healing agents due to their biocompatibility.
The top layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a barrier to penetration, which can be good or bad. This is a barrier to pathogens and chemicals, but the barrier can also block the entry of therapeutic agents. However, hair follicles have potential routes to penetrate deeper layers of the skin. In a new study, researchers at the University of Tsukuba in Japan created a gel made of tiny spheres of water-soluble keratin that penetrates hair follicles and regenerates hair in mice.
Anatomy of the skin. Dermal papilla cells, which are responsible for regulating hair growth, are located at the base of the hair follicle.
Microspheres, which are nanosized spherical particles derived from organic or inorganic sources, have shown potential for delivering therapeutic agents to the skin via the hair follicle. In the current study, the researchers synthesized 3D microspheres of water-soluble keratin. Upon contact with water, the microspheres swelled and formed a gel.
Part of the hair on the backs of 7-week-old male mice was removed using hair removal cream. They were divided into groups that applied either minoxidil (a drug used to treat hair loss patterns), keratin, microsphere keratin, or water topically to hairless areas for 20 days. Mice were monitored daily and photos were taken on days 0, 10, and 20. Treated skin from all groups was collected and analyzed for its gene expression.
In the group treated with keratin microspheres, hair regrowth began on the second day after treatment, and the growth rate accelerated thereafter. This effect was similar to that seen in mice treated with minoxidil. Hair regrowth was less pronounced in the keratin treatment group than in the keratin microsphere treatment group.
The analysis revealed that the upregulated genes in the keratin microsphere group were mainly related to the regulation of skin-related functions, such as hair follicle development. Expression of genes involved in stress response, tissue development, and maintaining skin stability was also increased. Keratin microsphere treatment induces stem cell-related genes and activates hair growth pathways and hair follicle development. The expression of pro-inflammatory markers was also significantly reduced compared to the control group. Taken together, keratin microsphere treatment showed anti-inflammatory effects while promoting the growth phase of hair follicles.
Mice in all treatment groups
Bejaoui et al.
The researchers then tested the microspheres on dermal papilla cells, human hair follicle cells that regulate hair follicle growth. Microspheres were shown to be absorbed through the epidermis and reach dermal papilla cells, activating dermal papilla cells and their associated hair growth markers. They were found to be non-toxic to cells.
“We observed that the microsphere treatment successfully penetrated different layers of the epidermis to reach the dermal papilla and significantly activated markers associated with hair growth,” the researchers said. “These findings suggest that microsphere keratin stimulates the hair growth process and further strengthens the interaction between different layers of the skin.”
Researchers say the company’s keratin microspheres have the potential to advance drug delivery methods with applications in skin and hair-related research and diseases. Further studies will explore specific ways in which microsphere keratin can be used as a targeted drug delivery and carrier system to treat hair follicle-related diseases.
The study was published in the journal ACS Applied Bio Materials.
Source: University of Tsukuba
