Estrogen receptor α, but not estrogen receptor β, is involved in the regulation of the hair follicle cycling as well as the thickness of epidermis in male mice

Sofia Movérare, Marie K. Lindberg, Jan Faergemann, J. Å Gustafsson, Claes Ohlsson

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    57 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Estrogen is of importance for the regulation of hair growth and epidermal thickness. The effects of estrogen have predominantly been studied in females; however, recent studies demonstrate that estrogen also is critical for males. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative functional importance of estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor β in the regulation of the hair follicle cycling and epidermal thickness in male mice. Seven month old transgenic male mice, lacking estrogen receptor α (ERKO), estrogen receptor β (BERKO), or both receptors (DERKO), were orchidectomized and treated for 3 week with 17β-estradiol or vehicle. Orchidectomy induced a synchronized anagen phase of the hair follicles, which was inhibited by 17β-estradiol treatment in wild-type and BERKO mice, but not in ERKO and DERKO mice. Furthermore, 17β-estradiol treatment increased the thickness of epidermis in wild-type and BERKO mice, but not in ERKO and DERKO. This study demonstrates that estrogen is of importance for the regulation of hair follicle cycling and epidermal thickness in male mice. The effect on hair follicle cycling is caused by an estrogen receptor α mediated inhibition of telogen-anagen transition and the effect of estrogen to increase epidermal thickness is associated with an estrogen receptor α mediated increase in the proliferative rate of the keratinocytes in the basal cell layer of the epidermis.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)1053-1058
    Number of pages6
    JournalJournal of Investigative Dermatology
    Volume119
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 2002

    Keywords

    • Epidermal thickness
    • Estrogen receptors
    • Hair follicle cycling
    • Transgenic

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Dermatology

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