#14 Research paper on activation of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 promotes hair growth
Seunghee Lee, Jungyoon Ohn, Bo Mi Kang, Sungjoo Tommy Hwang, Ohsang Kwon (2024) Activation of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 promotes hair growth in human hair follicles. J. Advanced Research.
This study, conducted by Seoul National University Dermatology in 2024, investigated the role of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in hair growth. ALDH2, an enzyme that oxidizes acetaldehyde, an intermediate metabolite of ethanol, to acetic acid, was found to be highly expressed in hair follicles, particularly in the outer root sheath (ORS). Activating ALDH2 accelerated the transition of hair follicles from the resting phase to the growth phase, leading to increased hair growth. Furthermore, ALDH2 expression was upregulated during the growth phase and downregulated during the resting phase, suggesting its involvement in eliminating aldehydes (4-hydroxynonenal, malondialdehyde) and reducing oxidative stress, which are crucial for hair health. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of ALDH2 activation as a novel therapeutic strategy for promoting hair growth.
Key Highlights:
- ALDH2 is highly expressed in hair follicles, particularly in the ORS.
- Activating ALDH2 promotes hair growth by accelerating the transition of hair follicles from the resting phase to the growth phase.
- ALDH2 may play a role in removing aldehydes and reducing oxidative stress, which is essential for hair health.
