A New Peptide, MLPH, Shows Promise in Hair Loss Treatment
A little change in the cycle that produces hair could tip the scales toward either healthy, continued hair growth or unhurried, progressive hair reduction. Many individuals suffering from hair loss have hair follicles that become “stuck” in their resting phase without moving into growth mode. Now, a novel peptide called MLPH is offering a potential solution, developed by researchers to stimulate hair growth without the side effects associated with current treatments.
Understanding Current Hair Loss Treatments
Approximately 1 billion people worldwide are affected by hair loss, making the search for effective treatments a significant area of research. The marketplace for treatment is currently dominated by two medications: minoxidil and finasteride. Although these medications can be effective, they come with drawbacks. Minoxidil can cause scalp irritation and finasteride alters hormonal pathways, making it unsuitable for many women. Critically, both products do not directly impact the cellular processes that control hair cycling.
Designing A Targeted Peptide
The research team, a collaboration between researchers at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) and Kyungpook National University Medical School in South Korea, aimed to address these concerns. They focused on erythropoietin (EPO), a naturally occurring hormone known to stimulate hair follicle growth by binding to receptors on hair follicle cells. But, systemic administration of EPO can lead to serious side effects, such as excessive red blood cell production.
To overcome this limitation, the team employed a structure-based design technique using advanced computational modeling. They essentially stripped away the parts of EPO responsible for triggering blood cell production while preserving the components that promote hair growth, resulting in the novel peptide, MLPH. As Professor Cheil Moon at DGIST stated, “The MLPH peptide developed in this study represents a novel, safe, mechanism-based treatment option that will provide therapeutic benefit to patients, without the gender or blood-related side effects associated with currently available products.”
Testing Hair Growth Effects
Researchers investigated the potential of MLPH to stimulate hair growth by treating both human and mouse hair follicle samples with the peptide. Hair follicles cycle through three distinct phases: growth (anagen), regression (catagen), and dormancy (telogen). MLPH demonstrated the ability to reverse the dormant phase, prompting follicles to enter active growth.
In mouse studies, treated hair follicles transitioned from the telogen to the anagen phase, exhibiting deeper follicles, increased thickness, and a higher rate of cell division. In cultured human hair follicles, hair shafts from treated samples were, on average, longer than those from untreated controls over six days – a result comparable to that observed with minoxidil exposure.
Role Of IGF-1 In Hair Growth
The study found that MLPH promoted the release of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) from follicular cells, with levels increasing up to three times greater than baseline after a few days of exposure. IGF-1 is crucial for maintaining hair follicle growth, promoting cellular survival and new hair fiber creation. Blocking IGF-1 signaling diminished the peptide’s effect on hair fiber growth, suggesting a direct impact on follicle development through specific pathways.
Safety And Cellular Mechanisms
A key advantage of MLPH over EPO is its safety profile. Preclinical studies showed that MLPH did not produce the same effects on red blood cell production as EPO. Mice treated with MLPH showed no significant differences in red blood cell counts, hemoglobin levels, or hematocrit values compared to placebo-treated animals, while those treated with EPO did show increases in these parameters.
MLPH acts specifically on dermal papilla cells, the cellular control centers of hair follicles, which determine when the follicle grows or rests. In many cases of hair loss, these cells have reduced activity. MLPH increased both the proliferation and metabolic activity of dermal papilla cells and reduced the effects of oxidative stress, which can compromise follicle function. The peptide activates the AKT and ERK signaling pathways, both associated with cellular survival and growth, leading to increased IGF-1 production.
Implications For Future Treatments
While the findings are promising, the research is still in its early stages, primarily conducted using cultured human tissue and preclinical mouse models. Future studies will focus on long-term safety, delivery methods, and effectiveness on various forms of hair loss.
If replicated in subsequent studies, the MLPH peptide, or similar peptides, could represent a new therapeutic class, targeting cellular mechanisms associated with hair loss without the hormonal side effects of current medications. This could expand treatment options for individuals unable to employ existing treatments and influence the design of future therapies by focusing on specific intracellular signaling within the hair follicle.
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