Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling in dermal papilla cells

Mechanism of non-thermal atmospheric plasma in anti-tumor: influencing intracellular RONS and regulating signaling pathways

Non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) has been proven to be an effective anti-tumor tool, with various biological effects such as inhibiting tumor proliferation, metastasis, and promoting tumor cell apoptosis. At present, the main conclusion is that ROS and RNS are the main effector components of NTAP, but the mechanisms of which still lack systematic summary. Therefore, in this review, we first summarized the mechanism by which NTAP directly or indirectly causes an increase in intracellular RONS concentration, and the multiple pathways dysregulation (i.e. NRF2, PI3K, MAPK, NF-κB) induced by intracellular RONS. Then, we generalized the relationship between NTAP induced pathways dysregulation and the various biological effects it brought. The summary of the anti-tumor mechanism of NTAP is helpful for its further research and clinical transformation.

Comparing Redox and Intracellular Signalling Responses to Cold Plasma in Wound Healing and Cancer

Cold plasma (CP) is an ionised gas containing excited molecules and ions, radicals, and free electrons, and which emits electric fields and UV radiation. CP is potently antimicrobial, and can be applied safely to biological tissue, birthing the field of plasma medicine. Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) produced by CP affect biological processes directly or indirectly via the modification of cellular lipids, proteins, DNA, and intracellular signalling pathways. CP can be applied at lower levels for oxidative eustress to activate cell proliferation, motility, migration, and antioxidant production in normal cells, mainly potentiated by the unfolded protein response, the nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-activated antioxidant response element, and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway, which also activates nuclear factor-kappa B (NFκB). At higher CP exposures, inactivation, apoptosis, and autophagy of malignant cells can occur via the degradation of the PI3K/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent and -independent activation of the master tumour suppressor p53, leading to caspase-mediated cell death. These opposing responses validate a hormesis approach to plasma medicine. Clinical applications of CP are becoming increasingly realised in wound healing, while clinical effectiveness in tumours is currently coming to light. This review will outline advances in plasma medicine and compare the main redox and intracellular signalling responses to CP in wound healing and cancer.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the KRT82 promoter region modulate irregular thickening and patchiness in the dorsal skin of New Zealand rabbits

BACKGROUND

While rabbits are used as models in skin irritation tests, the presence of irregular patches and thickening on the dorsal skin can affect precise evaluation. In this study, genes associated with patchiness or non-patchiness on the dorsal skin of New Zealand rabbits were investigated to identify potential regulators of the patchiness phenotype.

RESULTS

The results showed that parameters associated with hair follicles (HFs), such as HF density, skin thickness, and HF depth, were augmented in rabbits with the patchiness phenotype relative to the non-patchiness phenotype. A total of 592 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the two groups using RNA-sequencing. These included KRT72, KRT82, KRT85, FUT8, SOX9, and WNT5B. The functions of the DEGs were investigated by GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. A candidate gene, KRT82, was selected for further molecular function verification. There was a significant positive correlation between KRT82 expression and HF-related parameters, and KRT82 overexpression and knockdown experiments with rabbit dermal papilla cells (DPCs) showed that it regulated genes related to skin and HF growth and development. Investigation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the exons and promoter region of KRT82 identified four SNPs in the promoter region but none in the exons. The G.-631G > T, T.-696T > C, G.-770G > T and A.-873 A > C alleles conformed to the Hardy - Weinberg equilibrium, and three identified haplotypes showed linkage disequilibrium. Luciferase reporter assays showed that the core promoter region of KRT82 was located in the - 600 to - 1200 segment, in which the four SNPs were located.

CONCLUSIONS

The morphological characteristics of the patchiness phenotype were analyzed in New Zealand rabbits and DEGs associated with this phenotype were identified by RNA-sequencing. The biological functions of the gene KRT82 associated with this phenotype were analyzed, and four SNPs were identified in the promoter region of the gene. These findings suggest that KRT82 may be a potential biomarker for the breeding of experimental New Zealand rabbits.

mRNA Levels of Aromatase, 5α-Reductase Isozymes, and Prostate Cancer-Related Genes in Plucked Hair from Young Men with Androgenic Alopecia

Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is the most prevalent type of progressive hair loss and has psychological repercussions. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of current pharmacological treatments remains limited, in part because the molecular basis of the disease has not been fully elucidated. Our group previously highlighted the important roles of aromatase and 5α-reductase (5α-R) in alopecia in young women with female pattern hair loss. Additionally, an association has been proposed between AGA and prostate cancer (PCa), suggesting that genes implicated in PCa would also be involved in AGA. A low-invasive, sensitive, and precise method was used to determine mRNA levels of aromatase, 5α-R isozymes, and 84 PCa-related genes in samples of plucked hair from young men with AGA and controls. Samples were obtained with a trichogram from the vertex scalp, and mRNA levels were quantified using real-time RT-PCR. The men with AGA had significantly higher 5α-R2 mRNA levels in comparison to controls; interestingly, some of them also showed markedly elevated mRNA levels of 5α-R1 or 5α-R3 or of both, which may explain the varied response to 5α-R inhibitor treatments. The men with AGA also showed significant changes versus controls in 6 out of the 84 genes implicated in PCa. This study contributes greater knowledge of the molecular bases of AGA, facilitating early selection of the most appropriate pharmacological therapy and opening the way to novel treatments.

Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of skin: penetration into hair follicles

Sterilization of skin prior to surgery is challenged by the reservoir of bacteria that resides in hair follicles. Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) have been proposed as a method to treat and deactivate these bacteria as atmospheric plasmas are able to penetrate into structures and crevices with dimensions similar to those found in hair follicles. In this paper, we discuss results from a computational investigation of an APPJ sustained in helium flowing into ambient air, and incident onto a layered dielectric similar to human skin in which there are idealized hair follicles. We found that, depending on the location of the follicle, the bulk ionization wave (IW) incident onto the skin, or the surface IW on the skin, are able to launch IWs into the follicle. The uniformity of treatment of the follicle depends on the location of the first entry of the plasma into the follicle on the top of the skin. Typically, only one side of the follicle is treated on for a given plasma pulse, with uniform treatment resulting from rastering the plasma jet across the follicle over many pulses. Plasma treatment of the follicle is sensitive to the angle of the follicle with respect to the skin, width of the follicle pocket, conductivity of the dermis and thickness of the underlying subcutaneous fat layer, the latter due to the change in capacitance of the tissue.

Curcumin-zinc framework encapsulated microneedle patch for promoting hair growth

Hair loss is a growing esthetic condition driven by complex mechanisms that has numerous psycho-social implications. Conventional drug applications usually focus on a single treatment target, and the penetration depth restricts the post-delivery effect. Method: We fabricated a curcumin-zinc framework (ZnMOF) encapsulated gamma-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) microneedle patch (ZnMOF-MN) as a multifunctional biosafe transdermal drug delivery system. ZnMOF was characterized with the field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), elemental mapping, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The topographical and hygroscopic features of ZnMOF-MN were characterized with SEM. The in vitro ZnMOF release profile and the in vivo penetration of ZnMOF-MN were also evaluated. The anti-oxidant, anti-apoptosis, and antiandrogen effects of ZnMOF solution and ZnMOF-MN extract were studied on mouse dermal papilla cells (DPCs). Two animal models (in C57BL/6 mice), including androgenic alopecia (AGA) model and wound healing model, were used to identify the therapeutic effect of ZnMOF-MN on hair regrowth and wound healing in vivo. Hair follicles, surrounding vessels (CD31+), and proliferating cells (Ki67+) were evaluated by histological staining. Results: ZnMOF crystals were cone-shaped nanoparticles with a size distribution of 424.9 ± 59.01 nm. ZnMOF-MN patch can create temporary holes in the skin to directly and evenly deliver bioactive ZnMOF particles to the targeted depth and achieve a steady and sustained release of Zn²⁺ and curcumin. In vitro, ZnMOF significantly improved the viability of DPCs against the excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibited the apoptosis induced by zinc deficiency. In addition, it also reversed the inhibitory effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) infiltration. Moreover, the ZnMOF-MN treatment has been proved to accelerate wound healing and increase hair follicles in wound healing models, and improved the hair regrowth in AGA animal models. Enhanced capillary density and cell proliferation observed in the CD31+ and Ki67+ staining of ZnMOF-MN group in both animal models also suggested that ZnMOF can facilitate angiogenesis and promote cell proliferation in the skin, respectively. Conclusion: The ZnMOF-MN treatment is a comprehensive solution with excellent therapeutic efficacy and patient-friendly features for promoting hair growth under various clinical conditions.

Cold atmospheric microwave plasma (CAMP) stimulates dermal papilla cell proliferation by inducing β-catenin signaling

Hair loss or alopecia is an unpleasant symptom that exacerbates an individual's self-esteem and requires appropriate treatment. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a central pathway that promotes dermal papilla induction and keratinocyte proliferation during hair follicle renewal. GSK-3β inactivated by its upstream Akt and ubiquitin-specific protease 47 (USP47) has been shown to inhibit β-catenin degradation. The cold atmospheric microwave plasma (CAMP) is microwave energy enriched with mixtures of radicals. CAMP has been reported to have antibacterial and antifungal activities with wound healing activity against skin infection; however, the effect of CAMP on hair loss treatment has not been reported. We aimed to investigate the effect of CAMP on promoting hair renewal in vitro and to elucidate the molecular mechanism, targeting β-catenin signaling and YAP/TAZ, the co-activators in the Hippo pathway, in human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs). We also evaluated plasma effects on the interaction between hDPCs and HaCaT keratinocytes. The hDPCs were treated with plasma-activating media (PAM) or gas-activating media (GAM). The biological outcomes were determined by MTT assay, qRT-PCR, western blot analysis, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence. We found that β-catenin signaling and YAP/TAZ were significantly increased in PAM-treated hDPCs. PAM treatment also induced β-catenin translocation and inhibited β-catenin ubiquitination by activating Akt/GSK-3β signaling and upregulating USP47 expression. In addition, hDPCs were more aggregated with keratinocytes in PAM-treated cells compared with control. HaCaT cells cultured in a conditioned medium derived from PAM-treated hDPCs exhibited an enhancing effect on activating YAP/TAZ and β-catenin signaling. These findings suggested that CAMP may be a new therapeutic alternative for alopecic treatment.

β-Catenin Signaling Evokes Hair Follicle Senescence by Accelerating the Differentiation of Hair Follicle Mesenchymal Progenitors

Rationale: β-catenin signaling controls multiple fibroblast subsets, with its overactivity promoting the differentiation of hair follicle dermal stem cells (hfDSCs) and the hyperactivation of interfollicular fibroblasts. Understanding the concept of hfDSC activation and modulation offers hope towards the therapeutic armamentarium in dermatology and related comorbidities, as well as their potential applications in gerontology (the study of physiological aging). Having a comprehensive understanding in this stochastic process could also further yield important, novel insights into the molecular basis of skin aging to improve lifespan and preventing aging-related diseases.

Methods: A new CD34CrePGR mouse line was generated. Through fate-tracing models and a series of β-catenin genetic experiments, our study depicts how the wound environment increases phosphorylated β-catenin in hfDSCs and facilitates their differentiation into dermal papilla (DP) and dermal sheath (DS). In mice carrying hfDSC-specific activated allele of β-catenin, hfDSCs accelerated their differentiation into DP cells.

Results: Notably, with β-catenin stabilization in CD34-expressing cells and potential activation of canonical Wnt signaling, the mutant mice showed a brief increase of hair density in the short term, but over time leads to a senescence phenotype developing premature canities and thinning [hair follicle (HF) miniaturization].

Conclusion: β-catenin signaling drove HF senescence by accelerating differentiation of CD34⁺ hfDSCs, resulting in phenotypes attributable to the differentiation of the hfDSCs into DP cells and the loss of their stem cell potential. Therefore, our study reveals that the regulation of β-catenin signaling in hfDSCs may potentially become an important subject for future exploration in development of clinically effective therapies for hair loss treatment and an excellent model for revealing new therapeutic approaches to reverse aging or retarding the development of alopecia.

Exosomal miRNA-181a-5p from the cells of the hair follicle dermal papilla promotes the hair follicle growth and development via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Exosomal miRNAs are verified critical biomarkers, which participate in several biological processes. The growth and development of the hair follicle (HF) are typically controlled by the exosomal miRNAs via cell-to-cell communication. This study identified a high expression of miR-181a-5p in the low-passage DPC-Exos (exosomes derived from dermal papilla cell), revealing the transportation patterns of the DPC-Exos-derived miR-181a-5p entering the HFSC (hair follicle stem cell). The exosomal miR-181a-5p activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by targeting the Wnt inhibitor WIF1 and thereby regulates the proteins and genes related to HF growth and development. Moreover, the exosomal miR-181a-5p was found to suppress the HFSC apoptosis but promoted the HFSC proliferation. The in vitro culture of the HF organ revealed that the exosomal miR-181a-5p possesses a positive role in hair growth. Collectively, the exosomal miR-181a-5p affects the HF growth and development through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The exosomal miR-181a-5p might, therefore, act as the novel biomarker and therapeutic target for treating hair-related diseases and wool production in mammals.

Applications of Plasma-Activated Liquid in the Medical Field

Much progress has been made since plasma was discovered in the early 1900s. The first form of plasma was thermal type, which was limited for medical use due to potential thermal damage on living cells. In the late 1900s, with the development of a nonthermal atmospheric plasma called cold plasma, profound clinical research began and ‘plasma medicine’ became a new area in the academic field. Plasma began to be used mainly for environmental problems, such as water purification and wastewater treatment, and subsequent research on plasma and liquid interaction led to the birth of ‘plasma-activated liquid’ (PAL). PAL is currently used in the fields of environment, food, agriculture, nanoparticle synthesis, analytical chemistry, and sterilization. In the medical field, PAL usage can be expanded for accessing places where direct application of plasma is difficult. In this review, recent studies with PAL will be introduced to inform researchers of the application plan and possibility of PAL in the medical field.