New study: Using stem cells to grow new hair

[casperz]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150127095919.htm


Researchers have used human pluripotent stem cells to generate new hair. The study represents the first step toward the development of a cell-based treatment for people with hair loss.

"We have developed a method using human pluripotent stem cells to create new cells capable of initiating human hair growth. The method is a marked improvement over current methods that rely on transplanting existing hair follicles from one part of the head to another," said Alexey Terskikh, Ph.D., associate professor in the Development, Aging, and Regeneration Program at Sanford-Burnham. "Our stem cell method provides an unlimited source of cells from the patient for transplantation and isn't limited by the availability of existing hair follicles."
The research team developed a protocol that coaxed human pluripotent stem cells to become dermal papilla cells. They are a unique population of cells that regulate hair-follicle formation and growth cycle. Human dermal papilla cells on their own are not suitable for hair transplants because they cannot be obtained in necessary amounts and rapidly lose their ability to induce hair-follicle formation in culture.
"In adults, dermal papilla cells cannot be readily amplified outside of the body and they quickly lose their hair-inducing properties," said Terskikh. "We developed a protocol to drive human pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into dermal papilla cells and confirmed their ability to induce hair growth when transplanted into mice."
"Our next step is to transplant human dermal papilla cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells back into human subjects," said Terskikh. "We are currently seeking partnerships to implement this final step."

 

[hellouser]

If they actually take it to human trials, I'll buy them all bottles of champagne, EVEN if the method fails. How many times have we seen 'potential, within 5 years, possibly, etc' gum-flapping with all the work coming to a grinding halt at the mouse level?

This actually might be worth following... although, we heard Dr. Lauster's team was also 'already planning human trials' nearly 5 years ago and I've yet to see or hear about even a single individual to get anything done with their findings. Before you guys get all too excited, take things with a very fine grain of salt... because the last 20 years of similar stories like this have ALL amounted to absolutely nothing.

 

[Python]

When I first saw this, I thought, holly crap, is this the cure? But we will find out, wish we had a way to push them forward...

 

[hellouser]

When I first saw this, I thought, holly crap, is this the cure? But we will find out, wish we had a way to push them forward...

If they're actually looking to run human trials, it will mean they need funding. I'm willing to donate my hard earned money if they're actually SERIOUS about it... also only if the trials take place in Japan seeing how USA is a joke for running clinical trials based on stem cells.

 

[IDW2BB]

"In adults, dermal papilla cells cannot be readily amplified outside of the body and they quickly lose their hair-inducing properties," said Terskikh.


"Our next step is to transplant human dermal papilla cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells back into human subjects," said Terskikh.

 

[bushbush]

The paper is open access is anyone wants to read and understand it first hand: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0116892

 

[c_super2]

If they actually take it to human trials, I'll buy them all bottles of champagne, EVEN if the method fails. How many times have we seen 'potential, within 5 years, possibly, etc' gum-flapping with all the work coming to a grinding halt at the mouse level?

This actually might be worth following... although, we heard Dr. Lauster's team was also 'already planning human trials' nearly 5 years ago and I've yet to see or hear about even a single individual to get anything done with their findings. Before you guys get all too excited, take things with a very fine grain of salt... because the last 20 years of similar stories like this have ALL amounted to absolutely nothing.

Isnt this what Jahoda and Cotsarles have been trying to accomplish? For the last ten years I was never excited ever over baldness cure news. I was never confident that wounding was a cure. Or that PGD2 was a cure. They were all small steps. But this is something more substantial and sounds good and plausible that it will work. Not getting my hopes up, but this is a big step forward because researches have been trying to accomplish this forever. Even if it were to fail, it will force researches to think of new ways to get hair which will bring us closer to a cure.

 

[bushbush]

Isnt this what Jahoda and Cotsarles have been trying to accomplish? For the last ten years I was never excited ever over baldness cure news. I was never confident that wounding was a cure. Or that PGD2 was a cure. They were all small steps. But this is something more substantial and sounds good and plausible that it will work. Not getting my hopes up, but this is a big step forward because researches have been trying to accomplish this forever. Even if it were to fail, it will force researches to think of new ways to get hair which will bring us closer to a cure.

Even if this "works", in order to be a long term treatment for male pattern baldness we still may need to simultaneously normalise scalp levels of PGD2.

 

[Swoop]

Nice post. It's a step in the right direction. They didn't manage to create DP cells but "DP like" cells. Also still using a mouse model, doesn't translate into humans as we all know. Nonetheless we are really keeping pace now which is great. I finally have a idea we get to know the implications in hair follicle cycling, Androgenetic Alopecia itself and are advancing in cell culture.

Even if this "works", in order to be a long term treatment for male pattern baldness we still may need to simultaneously normalise scalp levels of PGD2.

Why? Transplanted hair follicles do perfectly fine in the PGD2 environment. Garza himself in "Does prostaglandin D2 hold the cure to male pattern baldness?" (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24521203) is quite uncertain himself and proposes that it might be only a small contributor downstream signalling factor and not a dominant player. I'm quite sure they know that its 99% uncertain that any modulation of these pathways will provide a cure for Androgenetic Alopecia.

 

[bushbush]

Garza himself in "Does prostaglandin D2 hold the cure to male pattern baldness?" (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24521203) is quite uncertain himself and proposes that it might be only a small contributor downstream signalling factor and not a dominant player.

From that paper, I quote:


"Is PGD2 the dominant agent which is downstream of testosterone and inhibits hair growth? Or is it one of many agents and itself only a minor contributor to Androgenetic Alopecia? The following observations support that PGD2 might be a dominant player"


These questions were followed by eight points that support the idea that PGD2 IS a "dominant player", but of course much work still remains to be done.

Why? Transplanted hair follicles do perfectly fine in the PGD2 environment.

Yes, but this makes the assumption that injected cells / follicles will behave in the same way as fully formed transplanted units. We know for example, that there is a PGD2 gradient in the scalp. Transplanted hairs are relocated with a small amount of surrounding tissue. It is possible that this acts as a buffer to the surrounding scalp environment and enables them to grow, which may not be the case with injected cells / lab grown follicles. Whether you are convinced by the PGD2 theory or not, this remains a valid concern.


To quote several posts from Dr. Aaron Gardner (a Jahoda lab researcher) on the bald truth forum thread "Q & A with Dr. Aaron Gardner":


https://www.*********talk.com/showthread.php?16284-Q-A-with-Dr.-Aaron-Gardner

I could see research like this [PGD2] being very important in priming the scalp for transplantation and also maintaining existing follicles and those that have been transplanted/implanted as well as any lab developed constructs.

The interaction of any constructs with the surrounding tissues is key yes, as I’ve mentioned previously implanting these constructs into skin which has underlying problems will not “cure” baldness. Co-therapies limiting the degradation of any new follicles would be required.


[Even if the DP cells are derived and multiplied from an apparently 'resistant' area of the scalp, i.e. the back of the head?]


If those follicles exist then yes they will likely fare better.However balding/bald scalp is less "healthy" (in relation to follicle support), so constructs will be being transplanted into a less healthy environment, the constructs themselves may be very viable but without proper support and interaction I would hypothesize that they wouldn't retain resistance. Hence why I think that co-therapies to prime the scalp prior to transplantation and maintain a healthy environment after will be vital. Until we can somehow address any underlying causes.

Restoration of healthy scalp is going to be vital in maintaining any transplanted/implanted follicles for a long period of time. The clinical trials currently underway should answer this question.


My personal take is that some co-therapy may be required.

The effectiveness of any treatment is going to vary case by case, but making new follicles does not fix any underlying issues that caused hair loss in the first instance. I envisage that complementary therapies will have to be used as well in the more severe cases.

Nonetheless, this recent study represents good progress.

 

[Swoop]

From that paper, I quote:


"Is PGD2 the dominant agent which is downstream of testosterone and inhibits hair growth? Or is it one of many agents and itself only a minor contributor to Androgenetic Alopecia? The following observations support that PGD2 might be a dominant player"


These questions were followed by eight points that support the idea that PGD2 IS a "dominant player", but of course much work still remains to be done.





Yes, but this makes the assumption that injected cells / follicles will behave in the same way as fully formed transplanted units. We know for example, that there is a PGD2 gradient in the scalp. Transplanted hairs are relocated with a small amount of surrounding tissue. It is possible that this acts as a buffer to the surrounding scalp environment and enables them to grow, which may not be the case with injected cells / lab grown follicles. Whether you are convinced by the PGD2 theory or not, this remains a valid concern.


To quote several posts from Dr. Aaron Gardner (a Jahoda lab researcher) on the bald truth forum thread "Q & A with Dr. Aaron Gardner":


https://www.*********talk.com/showthread.php?16284-Q-A-with-Dr.-Aaron-Gardner










Nonetheless, this recent study represents good progress.

I agree that that is indeed a valid concern. Aaron gardner left the hair research field now by the way, nonetheless thanks for the information. Sorry for going a bit offtopic ^^.

 

[hellouser]

Aaron gardner left the hair research field now by the way

Why???

 

[Armando Jose]

Why???

Incredible....

 

[0-100realquick]

Awesome! I didn't believe any new treatments would be out for the next 30 years. After reading this, I believe a better treatment would be available to the public in 25 years, after we are all old and slick bald.

 

[bushbush]

Why???

Contrary to what many people here might believe, post-doctoral researchers in academic institutions do not have good job security. One-three years before moving on to another position when funding runs out is typical.

 

[jamesrav2]

if you're sensing a contradiction, the article makes clear that natural human dermal papilla cells quickly lose their properties, the ones they have produced artificially apparently don't.

 

[IDW2BB]

From that paper, I quote:


"Is PGD2 the dominant agent which is downstream of testosterone and inhibits hair growth? Or is it one of many agents and itself only a minor contributor to Androgenetic Alopecia? The following observations support that PGD2 might be a dominant player"


These questions were followed by eight points that support the idea that PGD2 IS a "dominant player", but of course much work still remains to be done.





Yes, but this makes the assumption that injected cells / follicles will behave in the same way as fully formed transplanted units. We know for example, that there is a PGD2 gradient in the scalp. Transplanted hairs are relocated with a small amount of surrounding tissue. It is possible that this acts as a buffer to the surrounding scalp environment and enables them to grow, which may not be the case with injected cells / lab grown follicles. Whether you are convinced by the PGD2 theory or not, this remains a valid concern.


To quote several posts from Dr. Aaron Gardner (a Jahoda lab researcher) on the bald truth forum thread "Q & A with Dr. Aaron Gardner":


https://www.*********talk.com/showthread.php?16284-Q-A-with-Dr.-Aaron-Gardner










Nonetheless, this recent study represents good progress.

Thank you for those quotes by Dr. Gardner. Do they not highlight that Androgenetic Alopecia is not only a hair problem but a scalp problem? Do these quotes not support theory of an indirect component in Androgenetic Alopecia?

 

[Fc_Bruges]

Now they're getting very close, don't they?

 

[Unfollicled]

Now they're getting very close, don't they?

Yes they are. So close yet so far.

 

[Nadester]

Yes just 5 years away..........FEEIIING 5 YEARS NOW CALM YOUR TITS