Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
The Center of Human Development and Aging, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
J Invest Dermatol. 2021 Apr;141(4S):1031-1040. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2020.12.006. Epub 2021 Jan 26.
In this review, we propose that telomere length dynamics play an important but underinvestigated role in the biology of the hair follicle (HF), a prototypic, cyclically remodeled miniorgan that shows an intriguing aging pattern in humans. Whereas the HF pigmentary unit ages quickly, its epithelial stem cell (ESC) component and regenerative capacity are surprisingly aging resistant. Telomerase-deficient mice with short telomeres display an aging phenotype of hair graying and hair loss that is attributed to impaired HF ESC mobilization. Yet, it remains unclear whether the function of telomerase and telomeres in murine HF biology translate to the human system. Therefore, we propose new directions for future telomere research of the human HF. Such research may guide the development of novel treatments for selected disorders of human hair growth or pigmentation (e.g., chemotherapy-induced alopecia, telogen effluvium, androgenetic alopecia, cicatricial alopecia, graying). It might also increase the understanding of the global role of telomeres in aging-related human disease.
在这篇综述中，我们提出端粒长度动态在毛囊（HF）生物学中起着重要但尚未得到充分研究的作用，毛囊是一种典型的周期性重塑的小型器官，在人类中表现出有趣的衰老模式。虽然 HF 的色素单位衰老得很快，但它的上皮干细胞（ESC）成分和再生能力却出人意料地具有抗老化能力。端粒酶缺陷的小鼠端粒较短，表现出毛发变白和脱发的衰老表型，这归因于 HF ESC 动员受损。然而，端粒酶和端粒在小鼠 HF 生物学中的功能是否转化为人类系统尚不清楚。因此，我们为人类 HF 的端粒研究提出了新的方向。这种研究可能指导针对人类毛发生长或色素沉着（例如，化疗引起的脱发、休止期脱发、雄激素性脱发、瘢痕性脱发、白发）的特定疾病的新型治疗方法的开发。它也可能增加对端粒在与衰老相关的人类疾病中的全球作用的理解。
