Scientists simulate a permanent hair loss induced by chemotherapy

the mechanism behind chemotherapy-induced permanent hair loss in a paper published in the journal Nature-Newsletter. Using mouse models and human hair follicles, the researchers identified changes in hair follicle stem cells caused by chemotherapy that can cause permanent hair loss.
like many adult stem cells, hair follicles maintain a pool of regenerative cells, but these regenerative cells can be damaged by chemotherapy. After hair loss due to chemotherapy, hair follicle stem cells can eventually recover and grow their hair again. However, some chemotherapy can lead to loss of stem cell pools and permanent hair loss.
Ohsang Kwon and colleagues at Seoul National University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, transplanted human hair follicles into hairless mice to create a chemotherapy-induced permanent hair loss model. The mice then underwent a two-step chemotherapy program associated with permanent hair loss in humans. The researchers found that the first step of treatment caused cell proliferation and the second step of treatment caused mass cell death. The resulting depletion of stem cells hinders hair regeneration. They provide evidence that cells are more sensitive to DNA damage during proliferation, which causes cell division problems that eventually lead to cell death.
experts say the findings shed light on the causes of permanent hair loss induced by chemotherapy and may be used to develop preventive therapies.
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