The effect of oxygen supply using perfluorocarbon-based nanoemulsions on human hair growth

J Mater Chem B. 2024 Jan 24;12(4):991-1000. doi: 10.1039/d3tb02237d.

Abstract

Hair dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) play a crucial role in hair growth and regeneration, and their function is influenced by nutrient and oxygen supply. A microenvironment with significantly low oxygen (O2) levels, known as anoxic conditions (<0.2%) due to oxygen deficiency, hinders hDPC promotion and retards hair regrowth. Here, a nanoemulsion (NE) based on perfluorooctyl bromide (PFOB), a member of the perfluorocarbon family, is presented to provide a sustainable O2 supply and maintain physical stability in vitro. The PFOB-NE has been shown to continuously release oxygen for 36 h, increasing and maintaining the O2 concentration in the anoxic microenvironment of up to 0.8%. This sustainable O2 supply using PFOB-NE has promoted hDPC growth and also induced a complex cascade of effects. These effects encompass regulation via inhibiting lactate accumulation caused via oxygen deficiency, increasing lactate dehydrogenase activity, and promoting the expression of genes, such as the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 family and NADPH oxidase 4 under anoxic conditions. Sustained O2 supply is shown to enhance human hair organ elongation approximately four times compared to the control under anoxic conditions. In conclusion, the perfluorocarbon-based NE containing oxygen proves to be an important strategic tool for improving hair growth and alleviating hair loss.

MeSH terms

  • Fluorocarbons* / pharmacology
  • Hair
  • Humans
  • Hydrocarbons, Brominated*
  • Hypoxia*
  • Oxygen / metabolism

Substances

  • perflubron
  • Oxygen
  • Fluorocarbons
  • Hydrocarbons, Brominated