title: Malva verticillata seed extracts upregulate the Wnt pathway in human dermal papilla cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions are important in controlling hair growth and the hair cycle. The β-catenin pathway of dermal papilla cells (DPCs) plays a pivotal role in morphogenesis and normal regeneration of hair follicles. Deletion of β-catenin in the dermal papilla reduces proliferation of the hair follicle progenitor cells that generate the hair shaft and induces an early onset of the catagen phase. In this study, a modulator of the Wnt/β-catenin activity was studied in oriental herb extracts on cultured human DPCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of Malva verticillata (M. verticillata) seeds on human DPCs was investigated by a Wnt/β-catenin reporter activity assay system (β-catenin-TCF/LEF reporter gene) and cell proliferation analysis. The synthesis of the factors related to hair growth and cycling was measured at both the mRNA and the protein level by semi-quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An extract from M. verticillata seeds increased Wnt reporter activity in a concentration-dependent manner and also led to increased β-catenin levels in cultured human DPCs. Myristoleic acid, identified as an effective compound of M. verticillata seeds, stimulated the proliferation of DPCs in a dose-dependent manner and increased transcription levels of the downstream targets: IGF-1, KGF, VEGF and HGF. Myristoleic acid also enhanced the phosphorylation of MAPKs (Akt and p38).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the data suggest that this extract of M. verticillata seeds could be a good candidate for treating hair loss by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in DPCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: E Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: E-J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: OBM Laboratory, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: C-D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: OBM Laboratory, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: OBM Laboratory, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, CHA University, CHA Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D028501:Malva / Q000196:embryology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D051153:Wnt Proteins
keywords: Malva verticillata seeds; Wnt/β-catenin; dermal papilla cells; hair growth; myristoleic acid