An important role of podoplanin in hair follicle growth

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 23;14(7):e0219938. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219938. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Podoplanin (PDPN) is a glycoprotein that is expressed by various cell types, including keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and lymphatic endothelial cells. We found that PDPN is expressed in the hair follicle (HF) keratinocyte region and HF stem cell area during the late anagen phase but not during the telogen phase in mice. Importantly, keratinocyte-specific PDPN deletion in mice (K5-Cre;PDPNflox/flox) promoted anagen HF growth after depilation-induced HF regeneration as compared to control mice. RNA sequencing, followed by gene ontology analysis, showed down-regulation of focal adhesion and extracellular matrix interaction pathways in HF stem cells isolated from K5-Cre;PDPNflox/flox mice as compared to control mice. Furthermore, HF keratinocytes isolated from K5-Cre;PDPNflox/flox mice exhibited a decreased ability to interact with collagen type I in cell adhesion assays. Taken together, these results show that PDPN deletion promotes HF cycling, possibly via reduced focal adhesion and concomitantly enhanced migration of HF stem cells towards the bulb region. They also indicate potential new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of conditions associated with hair loss.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult Stem Cells / cytology
  • Adult Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Adult Stem Cells / physiology
  • Animals
  • Cell Movement
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Collagen Type I / metabolism
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Female
  • Focal Adhesions / metabolism
  • Hair Follicle / cytology
  • Hair Follicle / growth & development*
  • Hair Follicle / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Keratinocytes / cytology
  • Keratinocytes / metabolism
  • Keratinocytes / physiology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL

Substances

  • Collagen Type I
  • Gp38 protein, mouse
  • Membrane Glycoproteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Swiss National Science Foundation grants 3100A0-108207 and 31003A-130627, Advanced European Research Council grant LYVICAM and Leducq Transatlantic Network of Excellence on Lymph Vessels in Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease (11CVD03).