Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Australia and Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore have made an important hair loss related discovery. They uncovered an important role of the BCL‑2 family member protein MCL-1: it prevents hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) from self-destructing.
MCL-1 Hair Follicle Bodyguard Protein
The new study was published in Nature and titled “MCL‑1 safeguards activated hair follicle stem cells to enable adult hair regeneration.” A summary in New Atlas has an interesting alternate title: “Stopping hair loss may be as easy as boosting this “bodyguard” protein.”
The researchers found that deletion of MCL‑1 in the skin epithelium leads to gradual hair loss in adult mice and prevents hair regeneration. Moreover, MCL‑1 is essential for the survival of adult CD34+ HFSCs. The ERBB pathway plays a central role in the survival of adult activated hair follicle stem cells by promoting MCL‑1 protein expression.
Until these new findings, scientists didn’t realize that HFSCs (found in the dermis and epidermis skin layers) were so fragile and vulnerable to external forces without the protection of the MCL-1 protein. By blocking P53 stress signaling or boosting MCL-1 levels, we may some day be able to permanently protect HFSCs and therefore prevent hair loss. Without an adequate amount of MCL-1 proteins, the highly active hair follicle stem cells become stressed to the point of self-destruction.
Note that it is not elaborated as to whether this treatment will work equally well for both aging related hair loss and hormone-driven male pattern hair loss. The latter accounts for over 90 percent of all hair loss cases. Further discussion on these findings can also be found on Reddit.