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Original Article Plastic and Aesthetic Research

Modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling

affects the directional differentiation of hair

follicle stem cells

Bin Yang, Xiao-Ying Wu, Jian Ni, Bing-Hang Li, Li-Huan Deng, Meng-Juan Xiang

Plastic Surgery Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Shijingshan, Beijing 100144,
China
Address for correspondence: Prof. Bin Yang, Plastic Surgery Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union
Medical College, Shijingshan, Beijing 100144, China. E-mail: ybdoctor_psh@163.com.
Prof. Bin Yang has engaged himself in practicing and researching cranio-maxillo-facial surgery for thirty years. He undertook successively more than
ten scientific projects , including national and provincial priority projects supported by government fund. He possess national patent for invention of
the head fixing frame for CT scanner .The project of surgical treatment of craniofacial malformations was awarded National and Provincial Scientific
& Technological Advance Prize respectively in 1995 and 2008. He had published seven monographs, among two of those books he served as the
editor-in-chief. He have had approximate 70 original articles, reviews and translations published on journals. He has 30-years experiences in treating
craniomaxillofacial malformation. He has performed a lot of major surgical procedures on craniofacial deformities and gotten satisfactory results.
Especially he used the distraction technique to treat Treacher-Collins syndrome , hemifacial microsomia, etc., having gotten both good appearance and
physiologic function. His practice scope include craniomaxillofacial deformities, especially congenital craniofacial malformation, such as Crouzon
syndrome and craniosynostosis (scaphocephalies, turricephalies, brachycephalies, plagiocephalies, triangucephalies), orthognathic surgery, cleft lip and
palate, scalp and skull defect, orbital hypertelorism, etc.
ABSTRACT
Aim: The differentiation of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) into hair follicle cells has potential clinical
applications for cutaneous burns. However, the mechanisms regulating the differentiation of HFSCs into
hair follicular papilla or epidermal cells are currently not clear. This study investigated the role of the
Wnt/β-catenin pathway and its crosstalk with other signaling components during this differentiation
process. Methods: Lithium chloride (LiCl, 10 mmol/L) and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF, 10 µg/L)
were used to induce HFSC differentiation, validated by immunofluorescence analysis. The mRNA
expression of β-catenin, adenomatous polyposis coli, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), axin, and
lymphoid enhancer factor-1 after 3, 5, 7, and 9 days were measured to evaluate the role of the Wnt/β-
catenin pathway. Results: During LiCl-induced HFSC differentiation into hair follicle cells, the Wnt/
β-catenin signaling pathway was activated and the expression of GSK-3β, a vital component of the
degradation compound, was inhibited. This led to increased cytoplasmic β-catenin expression, nuclear
translocation, and subsequent target gene transcription. By contrast, KGF induced the differentiation
of HFSCs into epidermal cells and did not affect the expression of β-catenin. This data indicates that
LiCl and KGF distinctly regulate the differentiation of HFSCs into hair follicle and epidermal cells,
respectively. Furthermore, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is predominantly involved in hair
follicle differentiation. Conclusion: these results demonstrate that LiCl can be used to differentiate
HFSCs into hair follicle cells in vitro, which has important therapeutic applications for treating patients
with cutaneous damage.

Key words:
Lithium chloride; keratinocyte growth factor; hair follicle stem cells; Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

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How to cite this article: Yang B, Wu XY, Ni J, Li BH, Deng LH, Xiang
MJ. Modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling affects the directional
DOI: differentiation of hair follicle stem cells. Plast Aesthet Res 2016;3:39-46.
10.20517/2347-9264.2015.75
Received: 04-07-2015; Accepted: 18-12-2015
© 2016 Plastic and Aesthetic Research | Published by OAE Publishing Inc. 39