Epidermal growth factor promotes proliferation of dermal papilla cells via Notch signaling pathway

• Published in: Biochimie 2016-08, Vol.127, p.10-18
• Main Authors: Zhang, Haihua, Nan, Weixiao, Wang, Shiyong, Zhang, Tietao, Si, Huazhe, Wang, Datao, Yang, Fuhe, Li, Guangyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Proliferation; Dermal papilla; Epidermal growth factor; Epidermal Growth Factor - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation; Hair follicle; Hair Follicle - cytology; Hair Follicle - growth & development; Male; Mesoderm - cytology; Mice; Mustelidae; Notch pathway; Receptors, Notch - metabolism; Signal Transduction
• ISSN: 0300-9084; 1638-6183
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2016.04.015

The effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the development and growth of hair follicle is controversial. In the present study, 2–20 ng/ml EGF promoted the growth of mink hair follicles in vitro, whereas 200 ng/ml EGF inhibited follicle growth. Further, dermal papilla (DP) cells, a group of mesenchymal cells that govern hair follicle development and growth, were isolated and cultured in vitro. Treatment with or forced expression of EGF accelerated proliferation and induced G1/S transition in DP cells. Moreover, EGF upregulated the expression of DP mesenchymal genes, such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), as well as the Notch pathway molecules including Notch1, Jagged1, Hes1 and Hes5. In addition, inhibition of Notch signaling pathway by DAPT significantly reduced the basal and EGF-enhanced proliferation rate, and also suppressed cell cycle progression. We also show that the expression of several follicle-regulatory genes, such as Survivin and Msx2, were upregulated by EGF, and was inhibited by DAPT. In summary, our study demonstrates that the concentration of EGF is critical for the switch between hair follicle growth and inhibition, and EGF promotes DP cell proliferation via Notch signaling pathway. •EGF of low doses dose-dependently promotes growth of hair follicles, whereas a high dose of EGF inhibits follicle growth.•EGF promotes proliferation and cell cycle progression of dermal papilla (DP) cells in vitro.•EGF upregulates the expression of mesenchymal markers in DP cells.•EGF induces proliferation of DP cells via Notch pathway.•EGF upregulates the expression of follicle-regulatory genes (such as Survivin and Msx2) via Notch pathway.