China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Mesotherapy: Dutasteride, Minoxidil, Vitamins
Published in Rubina Alves, Ramon Grimalt, Techniques in the Evaluation and Management of Hair Diseases, 2021
David Saceda, Claudia Bernárdez
Due to the high metabolism of hair follicles it has always been considered that vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are useful, even on healthy hair follicles, to induce better growth. However, this has not been demonstrated. Among the vitamins studied, dexpanthenol (D-panthenol or provitamin B5) would increase keratin-associated protein 4 (KAP4) involved in the terminal keratinization of the hair cortex, hence, giving place to the formation of stronger hair [27]. Biotin (also known as vitamin B7 or H) is very widely used as it is a cofactor of the carboxylase enzymes in multiple metabolic pathways. In addition, it has an important role in the synthesis of proteins. Its role in the production of keratin would explain its contribution to better hair growth [28].
Components of Nutrition
Published in Christopher Cumo, Ancestral Diets and Nutrition, 2020
Proteins perform crucial functions. For example, insulin, mentioned earlier and having fifty-one amino acids, is the hormone that tells cells to admit glucose.69 In this way, insulin regulates the amounts of glucose inside and outside cells. Insulin also regulates glucose by telling the liver to store excess for release when the sugar becomes scarce in blood. Heme proteins, defined by the presence of iron (Fe), shuttle molecules and electrons throughout the body. Hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells, brings oxygen to cells and removes carbon dioxide for transport to the lungs. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, though human respiration emits little compared to factories and automobiles. The protein keratin helps form hair and skin. Proteins known as enzymes catalyze the body’s reactions. For example, enzymes pepsin and trypsin aid protein digestion by catalyzing cleavage of amino acid peptide bonds, mentioned earlier. Integral to the immune system, proteins that combat pathogens are known as antibodies. Attention has focused on the protein interferon, which targets viruses.
Polymer Materials for Oral and Craniofacial Tissue Engineering
Published in Vincenzo Guarino, Marco Antonio Alvarez-Pérez, Current Advances in Oral and Craniofacial Tissue Engineering, 2020
Iriczalli Cruz Maya, Vincenzo Guarino
Keratin is a fibrous protein, found in hair, wool, feathers, nails and horns of mammals, reptiles and birds. Keratin proteins can be classified in intermediate filament proteins and the matrix proteins. The characteristic secondary structure of intermediate filaments is a-helix, also known as α-keratins and are low in sulfur content. The matrix proteins are globular, have high sulfur content and are surrounding the intermediate filament proteins interacting through disulfide bonds (Magin et al. 2007). Keratin is characterized by the presence of sequences as RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) and LDV (Leu-Asp-Val) found in several ECM proteins for cell adhesion. Thus, keratin has been proposed as an alternative to collagen for developing biomaterials for tissue regeneration (Srinivasan et al. 2010). Besides, several studies have shown that the addition of keratin and adjusting its concentration, improved the mechanical properties of biomaterials (Zhang et al. 2014; Wang et al. 2015).
Current developments in gene therapy for epidermolysis bullosa
Published in Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy, 2022
Thomas Kocher, Igor Petkovic, Johannes Bischof, Ulrich Koller
In recent years, gene therapies for genodermatoses have steadily become the focus of research. Several therapeutic strategies, based on RNA/DNA repair or substitution, are already at both preclinical and clinical stage (Figure 1). The monogenetic skin disease epidermolysis bullosa (EB) represents a strong gene therapy target, as pathogenic mutations in at least 16 unique genes, which are crucial for skin integrity, result in severe phenotypes [1]. EB is characterized by the formation of extended blisters and lesions on the skin and mucous membranes upon minimal mechanical trauma. Clinical and genetic aspects, genotype–phenotype correlations as well as disease-modifying factors of EB were thoroughly reviewed by Has and colleagues [1]. With ~500,000 people affected worldwide, EB is a rare and very heterogeneous skin disease, which can be divided into four major subtypes. Mutations within keratin 5, 14 and plectin lead to epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS), associated with intraepidermal blistering, whereas junctional EB (JEB) is caused by mutations in genes coding for laminin-332, type XVII collagen (C17) and integrin-α6β4. This form of EB is characterized by blistering within the lamina lucida of the basement membrane. Mutations within COL7A1, encoding type VII collagen (C7), are responsible for a particularly severe form of EB, dystrophic EB (DEB), while Kindler syndrome is caused by mutations within the KIND1 gene [1,2].
Long-lasting treatment for moderate-severe depressed facial scars: skin and hair derived new autologous tissue filler with subcision
Published in Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022
Qi Chen, Yue Yang, Jiao Zhang, Qingguo Zhang
Garbis et al. (22) first came up with the idea of using hair as a filler material for reconstruction and cosmetic surgery in 1996. Hong et al. (23) implanted sterile hair into face to correct face defect. Autologous keratin deprived from hairs is first reported by Tachibana in 2001 (24). As to the many distinct advantages of keratin (remarkable biocompatible, stable molecular structure and the mechanism of promoting cell regeneration), more researches focus on its potential value in regenerative medicine (25–26). Our previous study turned out hair-derived material after processing showed an intrinsic capacity with preferable fluidity and glutinousness for injection, with a good biocompatibility and absence of cytotoxicity or mutagenicity. Animal subcutaneous implant models did not show any local or systemic adverse reactions in the observation period. In the absorbance model, hair fiber particle showed preferable augmentation effect which preserved at least 50% of original volume during the observation (10). And this new filler has already been used in clinical trial for dealing with neck wrinkles and tear through and also showed good therapeutic effect in our early work (11,12).
Berberine modulates Keratin 17 to inhibit cervical cancer cell viability and metastasis
Published in Journal of Receptors and Signal Transduction, 2021
Luping Liu, Li Sun, Jing Zheng, Li Cui
Keratin (KRT) is a protein family that is critical for hair formation and is the essential cellular structural material in forming the cornified layer which protects cells against damage or physical stress [10]. Keratin 17 (KRT17) is a kind of type I KRT [10], and upregulation of KRT17 expression is associated with lesion progression as well as poor prognosis in a number of epithelial cancers [11]. For example, overexpression of KRT17 was related to poor prognosis in epithelial ovarian cancer [12]. KRT17 performs an immunomodulatory function in skin by polarizing the immune response through up-regulating epithelial proliferation and tumor growth [13]. In addition, it is worth noting that an up-regulated KRT17 expression level was found in advanced cervical cancer tissue, and is closely associated with the poor survival of patients with this disease [14]. However, whether KRT17 could be regulated by BBR in cervical cancer cells remains elusive.