[The effect of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on cultured human hair follicle cells from a patients with vitamin D-dependent rickets type II with alopecia].

We examined the effects of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on the growth and differentiation of cultured human hair follicle cells from a patient with vitamin D-dependent rickets type II [DDR-II] with alopecia. In the presence of 100 nM 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the clonal growth of normal hair follicle cells was inhibited and terminal differentiation was markedly stimulated. However, the cells from a patient with DDR-II with alopecia did not respond to the hormone, suggesting a lack of the specific receptors in the cells. The difference in the cellular response to the hormone between the normal hair follicle cells and those from a patient were clear and easily distinguished, and these studies may provide a basis for the rapid diagnosis of DDR-II. Large number of hairs were difficult to obtain from patients with alopecia, and we developed a new culture method to accomplish these studies. Our system may be useful in the culture of HFC from only a few hair follicles.