2. Academic Validation
  3. Intermittent fasting triggers interorgan communication to suppress hair follicle regeneration

Intermittent fasting triggers interorgan communication to suppress hair follicle regeneration

  • Cell. 2024 Nov 26:S0092-8674(24)01311-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.11.004.
Han Chen 1,  Chao Liu 2,  Shiyao Cui 2,  Yingqian Xia 3,  Ke Zhang 2,  Hanxiao Cheng 4,  Jingyu Peng 2,  Xiaoling Yu 2,  Luyang Li 2,  Hualin Yu 1,  Jufang Zhang 4,  Ju-Sheng Zheng 5,  Bing Zhang 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China; School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China.
  • 2 School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China.
  • 3 School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China; Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China; Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China.
  • 4 Department of Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China.
  • 5 School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China; School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China.
  • 6 School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China; Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China; Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China. Electronic address: zhangbing@westlake.edu.cn.
PMID: 39674178 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.11.004
Abstract

Intermittent fasting has gained global popularity for its potential health benefits, although its impact on somatic stem cells and tissue biology remains elusive. Here, we report that commonly used intermittent fasting regimens inhibit hair follicle regeneration by selectively inducing Apoptosis in activated hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). This effect is independent of calorie reduction, circadian rhythm alterations, or the mTORC1 cellular nutrient-sensing mechanism. Instead, fasting activates crosstalk between adrenal glands and dermal adipocytes in the skin, triggering the rapid release of free fatty acids into the niche, which in turn disrupts the normal metabolism of HFSCs and elevates their cellular Reactive Oxygen Species levels, causing oxidative damage and Apoptosis. A randomized clinical trial (NCT05800730) indicates that intermittent fasting inhibits human hair growth. Our study uncovers an inhibitory effect of intermittent fasting on tissue regeneration and identifies interorgan communication that eliminates activated HFSCs and halts tissue regeneration during periods of unstable nutrient supply.

Keywords

hair follicle regeneration; hair follicle stem cells; hair growth; intermittent fasting; somatic stem cells.

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