Faculty of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.
Research Center, Maruzen Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Fukuyama, Hiroshima, Japan.
Clin Exp Dermatol. 2021 Jun;46(4):694-703. doi: 10.1111/ced.14533. Epub 2021 Jan 22.
Cepharanthine (CEP), a compound extracted from the vine Stephania cephalantha, is commonly prescribed to treat alopecia areata; however, the scientific evidence for its efficacy is limited.
To investigate the effect of CEP and its structural analogues on human hair growth in vitro.
The effects of CEP and three of its structural analogues on the proliferation of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) and human outer root sheath cells (hORSCs) were investigated. Their effects on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression were also assessed by real-time PCR. Activation of pathways leading to VEGF expression, such as intracellular Ca mobilization and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) expression, was also characterized.
CEP and two of its structural analogues significantly stimulated the growth of hDPCs but not hORSCs. Moreover, CEP and all three structural analogues significantly induced the expression of VEGF in hDPCs. CEP increased the intracellular Ca concentration in hDPCs. CEP also increased the expression of HIF-1α and HIF-2α and induced the expression of HIF-responsive genes in hDPCs, even under normoxia.
These results suggest that CEP and its structural analogues have the potential to restore hair growth by promoting the proliferation of hDPCs and increasing their expression of VEGF.
千金藤素（CEP）是从头花千金藤中提取的一种化合物，常用于治疗斑秃；然而，其疗效的科学证据有限。
研究 CEP 及其结构类似物对体外人毛发生长的影响。
研究 CEP 和其三种结构类似物对人真皮乳头细胞（hDPCs）和人外根鞘细胞（hORSCs）增殖的影响。通过实时 PCR 评估它们对血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）表达的影响。还描述了导致 VEGF 表达的途径的激活，如细胞内 Ca 动员和缺氧诱导因子（HIF）表达。
CEP 和其两种结构类似物显著刺激 hDPCs 的生长，但不刺激 hORSCs 的生长。此外，CEP 和所有三种结构类似物均显著诱导 hDPCs 中 VEGF 的表达。CEP 增加了 hDPCs 中的细胞内 Ca 浓度。CEP 还增加了 HIF-1α 和 HIF-2α 的表达，并在常氧条件下诱导 hDPCs 中 HIF 反应基因的表达。
这些结果表明，CEP 及其结构类似物通过促进 hDPCs 的增殖和增加其 VEGF 表达，具有恢复毛发生长的潜力。
