RNA-Seq of human fetal and adult scalp hair follicle dermal papilla (DP), dermal sheath cup (DSC), and interfollicular dermal (IFD) cells

ABSTRACT: Much is still unknown about the molecular regulatory networks which govern the dermal papilla’s (DP) ability to induce hair follicle regeneration, a capacity which gradually decreases with age. DP and dermal sheath cup (DSC) cells from mature, anagen phase, hair follicles were manually microdissected from fresh frozen sections of 16-18 week human fetal scalp and 30-60 year old adult male scalp. Interfollicular dermal (IFD) fibroblasts were harvested for comparison. RNA-seq libraries from each cell population were prepared with Nugen’s Ovation RNA-Seq and Ultralow Library systems, sequenced to approximately 100 million total reads. A set of 121 genes was identified as significantly upregulated in fetal DP cells, as compared to both fetal DSC and IFD populations. Wnt/β-catenin, Shh, FGF, BMP, and Notch signaling pathways were significantly enriched among those genes differentially expressed between fetal and adult DP cells. Among them, Spondin-1, a Wnt agonist, was chosen for verification and can rescue hair follicle regeneration in skin reconstitution assays using cells from adult mice. Additionally, twenty-nine transcription factors were significantly upregulated in fetal DP compared to adult DP cells. Of those, seven transcription factor binding motifs were significantly enriched in the candidate promoter regions of differentially expressed genes between fetal and adult DP cells, suggesting a combinatorial regulatory role in the fetal DP phenotype. Further investigation into these regulators is warranted to determine if these proteins and/or associated pathways plays a role in the maintenance or modulation of DP cells to induce hair regeneration.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE149189 | GEO | 2020/11/16

REPOSITORIES: GEO