title: Epidermal Growth Factor Promotes Proliferation and Migration of Follicular Outer Root Sheath Cells via Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of EGF on the growth and migration of hair follicle outer root sheath (ORS) cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intact anagen hair follicles were isolated from mink skin and cultured with EGF in vitro to measure ORS daily growth. Meanwhile, purified primary ORS cells were treated or transfected with EGF, and their proliferation and migration were assessed by MTT assay and transwell assay, respectively. The signaling pathway downstream of EGF was characterized by using the Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibitor, XAV-939.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGF of 2-20 ng/ml, not higher or lower, promoted the growth of follicular ORS in vitro. EGF treatment or overexpression promoted the proliferation and migration of ORS cells. Moreover, EGF stimulation induced nuclear translocation of β-catenin, and upregulated the expression of Wnt10b, β-catenin, EGF receptor and SOX9. Inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by XAV-939 significantly reduced the basal and EGF-enhanced proliferation and migration of ORS cells. In addition, a number of follicle-regulatory genes, such as Survivin, Msx2 and SGK3, were upregulated by EGF in the ORS cells, which was also inhibited by XAV-939.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGF promotes the proliferation and migration of ORS cells and modulates the expression of several follicle-regulatory genes via Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Changchun, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Haihua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Weixiao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.forename: Shiyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tietao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huazhe
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Si
authors.forename: Fuhe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Guangyu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / Q000494:pharmacology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008907:Mink; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; D055758:SOX9 Transcription Factor; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C544261:XAV939; D051176:beta Catenin; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors