P6  SUBSTANCE P STIMULATES HUMAN HAIR FOLLICLE GROWTH IN VITRO

Lee W-S., Sohn I-B. Dept. of Dermatology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea

In vitro, some neuropeptides, including the tachykinin, substance P(SP), act as a growth factor. Dissecting the role of neuropeptides in the hair follicle may also reveal as yet obscure neural machanisms of hair growth control.

We studied the effect of SP on human hair growth using organ culture model in which isolated hair follicles are grown in vitro. After the healthy human hair follicles without any visible damage were collected, they were cultured in DMEM with several combination of supplements including insulin, hydrocortisone, sodium selenite, human transferrin, and fetal bovine serum at 37¡É in an atmosphere of 5% CO2/95% air. The culture media were supplemented with final concentration of 10-6, 10-7, 10-8 M SP. The results were evaluated by measuring linear hair growth and by observing hair follicle morphology on light microscopy and electron microscopy and by measuring radioisotope uptake of [methyl-3H] thymidine and [U-14C] leucine of hair follicle.

SP did not have statistically significant effects on the rate of linear hair growth in cultured hair follicles, however, it could prolong the anagen phase of hair follicles.

From the results, we could suggest that SP functions as growth-stimulatory agent and especially prolong the duration of anagen phase rather than increase the rate of linear hair growth.