Vitamin B12 Activates the Wnt-Pathway in Human Hair Follicle Cells by Induction of beta-Catenin and Inhibition of Glycogensynthase Kinase-3 Transcription

Walter Krugluger, Karl Stiefsohn, Katharina Laciak, Karl Moser, Claudia Moser

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DOI: 10.4236/jcdsa.2011.12004                

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Micrograft transplantation is accompanied by a transient induction of telogen in transplanted hair follicles (HF), which might be avoided by supporting the metabolic pathways of the micrograft during the ex vivo period. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) has been suggested to influence HF growth and cycling in humans, but the mechanisms are unclear. Method: HFs were obtained from patients undergoing routine micrograft transplantation and were cultured for 5 days in Dulbecco’s modified Eagles Medium, supplemented with different amounts of vitamin B12. Hair shaft elongation (HSE) of the isolated HFs as well as quantitative changes of mRNA for beta-catenin, glykogensynthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) and TCF/Lef-1 in HF cells were determined. Results: In vitro HSE demonstrated a dose dependent induction of HSE after stimulation with 2.5 ug/ml and 25 ug/ml vitamin B12 (6.2 +/- 2.1% and 15.4 +/- 3.8% respectively). A dose dependent induction of beta-catenin-mRNA could be demonstrated in cultured HFs after stimulation with 2.5 ug/ml and 25 ug/ml vitamin B12 (fold change compared to DMEM: 9.5 +/- 2.7, p < 0.05 and 23.1 +/- 7.4, p < 0.01; respectively). Concomitantly the amounts of GSK-3 were significantly reduced after stimulation with 25 ug/ml vitamin B12 (fold change compared to DMEM: 0.76 +/- 0.12, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our data demonstrate a hair growth promoting effect of vitamin B12 in vitro. This effect is accompanied by the modulation of intracellular signal transduction molecules of the wnt-pathway and might promote hair growth after micrograft transplantation.

Keywords

Hair Follicle, Growth Factors, Cell Signaling

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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