title: Protein kinase C inhibits human hair follicle growth and hair fibre production in organ culture.
abstract: In this study we have used a human hair follicle whole-organ culture system to examine the effects of 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a potent activator of protein kinase C (PKC), on hair follicle growth and hair fibre production. Anagen hair follicles were isolated from human facial skin by microdissection and placed in suspension culture in supplemented Williams E medium. Hair follicle and hair fibre lengths were measured daily using an inverted microscope and cumulative growth values were calculated. Treatment with TPA resulted in a potent, dose-dependent inhibition of total cumulative hair follicle growth (IC50 = 1 nM). Hair follicles grew at a comparable rate for 4 days in the presence or absence of 10 nM TPA, after which growth of TPA-treated follicles ceased while control follicles grew by a further 0.8 mm over the subsequent 6 days. In contrast, 10 nM TPA treatment did not affect hair fibre elongation for a period of 8 days, after which TPA-treated fibre production ceased while control fibres grew by a further 0.79 mm over the subsequent 7 days. Incubation of hair follicles with TPA resulted in a 41% inhibition of hair fibre protein synthesis, as measured biochemically from the incorporation of 3H-leucine using a differential akali extraction method. The inhibitory effect of TPA on follicle growth was partially prevented by preincubation with the selective PKC inhibitor H-7, and almost completely prevented by preincubation with the more potent PKC inhibitor Ro 31-7549. Neither agent alone significantly affected follicle growth at concentrations that reversed the TPA response. These findings indicate that PKC is a negative regulator of hair follicle growth, and suggest that PKC may play a part in the transduction of follicular growth-inhibitory signals.
authors.affiliation: Preclinical Dermatology Research, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc., Nutley, NJ 07110, USA.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Harmon
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Nevins
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Bollag
mesh_terms: D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008301:Maleimides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D007546:Isoquinolines; D008301:Maleimides; D010879:Piperazines; D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; C064755:Ro 31-7549