Ultrastructural Changes of Hair Follicles Induced by Cyclophosphamide in the Rat / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

Authors studied the effects of cyciophosphamide, a potent inhibitor of nucleoprotein synthesis, to ivestigate the morphologic evidence of destructive actions to the hair. follicles. Sprague-Dawley rats were received 4 mg/kg of eyclophosphamide for 1 to 6 weeks, intraperitoneally, and examined light and electron microscopically. Light microscopically, distortion and constriction of the hair shafts, diminished diameter of the hair bulbs, and atrophy of. the hair matri.x were developed from 1 week. which were more prominent in second weeks and they were progressed after that time. Hairs were frequently fractured due to constriction of the hair shaf ts. Electron microscopically, cells of the hair pulp were decreased in number, and cells of the hair matrix were atrophied, Degenerative changes of the cellular organelles participating in grovth. and development of the hairs were noted, such as disordered formation of tricholyaline granules, diffuse atrophy and increased electron density of the inner root sheath, and loss of the glycogen and intercellular edema of the outer root sheath, but basal cells of the matrix showed minor changes relatively. From the above results, cyclophosphamide may specifically alter the matrix cells of the hair follicles and induces anagen hair losses, which may be reversible at a small dosage when the drug is discontinued, because basal cells of the matrix ahow rninor changes.