Canine Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Aggregates as a Viable Substitute to Actual Canine Dermal Papillae

Abstract

Hair loss is a major dermatological disease in veterinary and human medicine. Active studies on hair regeneration with mesenchymal stem cells have been performed in an effort to solve the limitations of conservative treatments in human medicine. Our understanding of the canine hair follicle (HF), considering a useful model for the study of the human alopecia, is limited. This study was designed to broaden our understanding of canine dermal papilla (DP), and to reconstruct dermal papilla-like tissue (DPLT) using canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs), as an alternative to actual DP. We cultured canine DPs, observed their culture patterns and compared their expression level of DP-related genes and proteins with those of DPLTs by performing RT-PCR analysis and Western blotting. Canine DPC showed multilayer culture patterns with pseudo-papillae. Reconstruction of DPLTs was performed successfully. They were morphologically similar to actual DPs and we observed similarities between DPC and DPLT in molecular characteristics. These findings suggested that DPLT was a viable substitute for DP. This study will not only be helpful for understanding the cultural, morphological, and molecular characteristics of canine DPCs, but may also serve as a basis for understating human hair follicle biology and potential therapeutic strategies for alopecia.