Effects of immunosuppressive peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) inhibitors, cyclosporin A, FK506, ascomycin and rapamycin, on hair growth initiation in mouse: immunosuppression is not required for new hair growth.

The effects of immunosuppressive peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) inhibitors, cyclosporin A, FK506, ascomycin and rapamycin, on hair growth initiation (anagen hair induction) in mouse were studied by topical application on the dorsal skin surface during the telogen phase of the hair cycle. Single applications of cyclosporin A and FK506 (10 to 100 nmol in 5 microliters of ethanol) induced new hair growth in 12 days within the restricted area where the compounds were applied. On the other hand, ascomycin and rapamycin did not initiate new anagen hairs even at higher doses (1 mumol in 5 to 10 microliters of ethanol). The effects of simultaneous application of the immunosuppressants were also tested by a single topical application. Ascomycin did not inhibit the anagen hair induction by cyclosporin A, but inhibited hair induction by FK506. Rapamycin inhibited new hair growth induced by cyclosporin A and FK506. These results suggest that the inhibition of PPIase is not required for the initiation of a new hair cycle in mice, and that anagen hair induction caused by cyclosporin A and FK506 is not a result of immunosuppression. The present results also indicate that a single application of an adequate quantity of cyclosporin A and FK506 is sufficient to initiate new hair growth.