Human fibroblast growth factor 9 induces hair follicle cycle transition via TGF-b/BMP/Smad pathway

This study aimed to investigate the effects of recombinant human fibroblast growth factor (rhFGF9) on hair follicle growth and the transformation of hair follicle cycles in mice, along with the underlying mechanisms involved. We observed that rhFGF9 promoted hair growth by inducing C57BL/6N mice to enter the anagen phase. Histological analysis revealed that intradermal injection of rhFGF9 stimulated hair follicle development. Transcriptomic data suggested that the underlying mechanism may be associated with the TGF-b signaling pathway. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative PCR, and Western blot analyses demonstrated that the expression levels of TGF-b2, TGF-b3, BMP4, and pSmad2 were up-regulated in the experimental group. In conclusion, these findings indicate that the promotion of hair growth by rhFGF9 may be linked to the TGF-b/BMP/Smad signaling pathway. Furthermore, rhFGF9 may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of hair loss disorders.