Journal Club – 23.03.10

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin controls hair growth

Jessica L. Shannon,1,2 David L. Corcoran,3 John C. Murray,1 Steven F. Ziegler,4,5 Amanda S. MacLeod,1,2,6

and Jennifer Y. Zhang1,7,*
1Department of Dermatology, Duke University, P.O. Box 103052, Durham, NC 27710, USA 2Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
3Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA 4Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
5Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA 6Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA 7Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA

SUMMARY

Skin tissue regeneration after injury involves the production and integration of signals by stem cells residing in hair follicles (HFSCs). Much remains unknown about how specific wound-derived factors modulate stem cell contribution to hair growth. We demonstrate that thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is produced in response to skin injury and during the anagen phase of the hair cycle. Intra- dermal injection of TSLP promoted wound-induced hair growth (WIHG), whereas neutralizing TSLP receptor (TSLPR) inhibited WIHG. Using flow cytometry and fluorescent immunostaining, we found that TSLP promoted proliferation of transit-amplifying cells. Lgr5CreER- mediated deletion of Tslpr in HFSCs inhibited both wound-induced and exogenous TSLP-induced hair growth. Our data highlight a novel function for TSLP in regulation of hair follicle activity during homeostasis and wound healing.