Comparison of mitochondrial transplantation by using a stamp-type multineedle injector and platelet-rich plasma therapy for hair aging in naturally aging mice.

The mechanism of hair loss caused by aging is related to mitochondrial dysfunction. Pep-1-mediated mitochondrial transplantation is a potential therapeutic application for mitochondrial disorders, but its efficacy against hair aging remains unknown. This study compared platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy with mitochondrial transplantation for hair restoration and examined the related regulation in naturally aging mice. After dorsal hair removal, 100-week-old mice received weekly unilateral injections of 200 µg of allogeneic mitochondria-labeled 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine with (P-Mito) or without Pep-1 conjugation (Mito) or human PRP with a stamp-type electric injector for 1 month. The contralateral sides were used as corresponding sham controls. Compared with the control and corresponding sham groups, all treatments stimulated hair regrowth, and the effectiveness of P-Mito was equal to that of PRP. However, histology revealed that only P-Mito maintained hair length until day 28 and yielded more anagen follicles with abundant dermal collagen equivalent to that of the PRP group. Mitochondrial transplantation increased the thickness of subcutaneous fat compared with the control and PRP groups, and only P-Mito consistently increased mitochondria in the subcutaneous muscle and mitochondrial DNA copies in the skin layer. Therefore, P-Mito had a higher penetrating capacity than Mito did. Moreover, P-Mito treatment was as effective as PRP treatment in comprehensively reducing the expression of aging-associated gene markers, such as IGF1R and MRPS5, and increasing antiaging Klotho gene expression. This study validated the efficacy of mitochondrial therapy in the restoration of aging-related hair loss and demonstrated the distinct effects of PRP treatment.

Effects of Bilayer Nanofibrous Scaffolds Containing Curcumin/Lithospermi Radix Extract on Wound Healing in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Impaired growth factor production, angiogenic response, macrophage function, and collagen accumulation have been shown to delay wound healing. Delayed wound healing is a debilitating complication of diabetes that leads to significant morbidity. In this study, curcumin and Lithospermi radix (LR) extract, which are used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, were added within nanofibrous membranes to improve wound healing in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model. Gelatin-based nanofibers, which were constructed with curcumin and LR extract at a flow rate of 0.1 mL/hour and an applied voltage of 20 kV, were electrospun onto chitosan scaffolds to produce bilayer nanofibrous scaffolds (GC/L/C). The wounds treated with GC/L/C exhibited a higher recovery rate and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) expression in Western blot assays. The decreased levels of pro-inflammatory markers, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), provided evidence for the anti-inflammatory effects of GC/L/C treatment. Chronic wounds treated with GC/L/C achieved better performance with a 58 ± 7% increase in recovery rate on the seventh day. Based on its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects, the GC/L/C bilayer nanofibrous scaffolds can be potential materials for chronic wound treatment.

Effects of Different Concentrations of Collagenous Peptide from Fish Scales on Osteoblast Proliferation and Osteoclast Resorption.

The incidence of osteoporosis has increased among the elderly population. Establishing a model of bone remodeling for screening new drugs is critical to identify safe and effective treatments for osteoporosis. In this study, we established a platform to investigate the therapeutic effects of collagenous peptides extracted from scales of two kinds of fish, namely, sparidae and chanos. These peptides were prepared using seven concentrations of collagenous peptide: 100, 80, 60, 40, 20, 10 and 1 mg/ml. Experimental results indicated that collagenous peptides promoted the proliferation of osteoblasts and inhibited the proliferation of mature osteoclasts; the effective concentration of collagenous peptide-sparidae was 10 mg/ml and that of collagenous peptide-chanos was 40 mg/ml. These findings demonstrate that, to a certain extent, collagenous peptides extracted from fish scales can be used to prevent osteoporosis to assist bone remodeling.