Cold atmospheric plasma counteracts oxidative stress and promotes dermal papilla cell proliferation and hair regrowth

Abstract

Abstract Alopecia is a commonly encountered condition primarily induced by multiple factors involving psychological and environmental changes. It is often accompanied by persistent oxidative stress and apoptosis of dermal papilla cells (DPCs), which induce disabilities in hair growth induction. Existing clinical approaches often aim at symptom treatment or recurrence reduction, and their efficacy is unsatisfactory. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) possesses potent antioxidant properties and ability to promote cell proliferation, as demonstrated in numerous studies. Here, we employed a CAP jet device to investigate the effects of plasma-activated medium (PAM) on the antioxidant levels and proliferative capacity of DPCs isolated from human hair follicles in vitro . Concurrently, we constructed a chronic restraint stress mouse model that manifested retardation of hair growth to explore the efficacy and safety of plasma-treated hydrogel (PTH) on hair regeneration. The results showed that PAM enhanced cellular antioxidant defenses by increasing superoxide dismutase enzyme activity and total glutathione synthesis while reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Furthermore, PAM modulated the cell cycle to improve DPCs proliferation and upregulated protein expression within the Wnt/ β -catenin signaling pathway, which is implicated in hair regeneration. Similarly, PTH effectively reduced ROS levels in damaged hair follicle tissues of mice, enhanced Sirt1 and Nrf2 expression within hair follicle tissues to resist oxidative stress, alleviated mast cell degranulation along with infiltration of major histocompatibility complex class II + cells, and stimulated the transition of hair follicles from the telogen phase to anagen phase. Additionally, markers of hair follicle stem cells were significantly expressed in areas treated with PTH in mice, correlating with accelerated hair growth. In summary, the utilization of plasma-activated media, whether in vivo or in vitro , can enhance antioxidant defense mechanisms and facilitate hair regeneration.