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Baicalin, a flavonoid, affects the activity of human dermal papilla cells and promotes anagen induction in mice

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Abstract

Baicalin, a flavonoid isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, is known to have multiple biological functions. Recent studies have demonstrated that baicalin treatment increases alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and osteoprotegerin secretion by osteoblasts. Furthermore, baicalin induces the differentiation of cultured osteoblasts via the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In this study, we evaluated the hair growth-promoting effects of baicalin in human follicular dermal papilla (DP) cells. A reporter assay and Western blotting were used to assess the effect of baicalin on β-catenin signaling in DP cells. ALP activity and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression were examined by ALP staining and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. Growth factor expression levels were also evaluated using real-time PCR. Finally, the effect of baicalin on hair growth in vivo was examined by topical application of baicalin on the shaved dorsal skin of C57BL/6 mice. Our results indicate that baicalin activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling in a dose-dependent manner in human DP cells. ALP mRNA expression and activity were significantly induced in the presence of baicalin. In addition, treatment with baicalin induced the mRNA expression of growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Moreover, compared to vehicle treatment, baicalin treatment induced an earlier conversion from telogen to anagen. Our results strongly suggest that baicalin promotes hair growth by regulating the activity of DP cells.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Kyungpook National University Research Fund, 2012. This research was also supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (NRF-2012R1A1B3001047).

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Correspondence to Young Kwan Sung or Jung Chul Kim.

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Senior authors Young Kwan Sung and Jung Chul Kim contributed equally to this study.

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Shin, S.H., Bak, SS., Kim, M.K. et al. Baicalin, a flavonoid, affects the activity of human dermal papilla cells and promotes anagen induction in mice. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 388, 583–586 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-014-1075-0

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