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Decorin is a prototypical member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family, which is involved in numerous biological processes. The role of decorin, as a representative SLRP, in hair follicle morphogenesis has not been elucidated. We present our initial findings on decorin expression patterns during induced murine hair follicle (HF) cycles. It was found that decorin expression is exclusively restricted to the epidermis, outer root sheath and sebaceous glands during the anagen phase, which correlates with the upregulation of decorin mRNA and protein expression in depilated murine dorsal skin. Furthermore, we used a functional approach to investigate the effects of recombinant human decorin (rhDecorin) via cutaneous injection into HFs at various murine hair cycle stages. The local injection of rhDecorin (100 μg/ml) into the hypodermis of depilated C57BL/6 mice at anagen delayed catagen progression. In contrast, rhDecorin injection during the telogen phase caused the premature onset of anagen, as demonstrated by the assessment of the following parameters: (i) hair shaft length, (ii) follicular bulbar diameter, (iii) hair follicle cycling score and (iv) follicular phase percentage. Taken together, our results suggest that decorin may modulate follicular cycling and morphogenesis. In addition, this study also provides insight into the molecular control mechanisms governing hair follicular epithelial-mesenchymal interactions.

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Hair loss is characterized by a shortened hair anagen phase and hair follicles (HF) miniaturization. Morroniside is the most abundant iridoid glycoside extracted from Cornus officinalis and has various bioactivities in different cell functions and tissue regeneration. In this study, we investigated the effects and the underlying mechanism of morroniside on hair growth and regulation of HF cycle transition. Morroniside treatment significantly enhanced outer root sheath cell (ORSC) proliferation and migration in vitro. Additionally, morroniside upregulated Wnt10b, β-catenin and lef1. The enhanced ORSC proliferation and migration due to morroniside treatment were partly rescued by a Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibitor, DKK1. Furthermore, in a hair-induced mouse model, morroniside injection accelerated the onset of anagen and delayed HF catagen, as shown by histological examination. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway expression was upregulated in the HFs. These findings suggest that morroniside regulates HF growth and development partly through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and may be a potential treatment for hair loss.

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