ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of Stellera chamaejasme L. (S. chamaejasme, Rui Xiang Lang Du) extract on hair growth in a mouse model.MethodsThe extract was prepared using 95% ethanol and topically applied as a 1% or 3% solution to the dorsal skin of shaved mice for 16 consecutive days. A control mouse group received an equal volume of vehicle for the same period. After 16 days, the dorsal skin was histologically examined through hematoxylin-eosin staining. Further, quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction was performed on skin tissue lysates to evaluate the expression levels of mRNAs encoding proteins involved in hair growth, including WNT10A, noggin (NOG), transforming growth factor-β receptor 1 (TBR1), epidermal growth factor (EGF), versican, fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10), lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β).ResultsCompared with vehicle, S. chamaejasme extract dose-dependently enhanced hair growth. Histological analysis revealed that S. chamaejasme extract increased the number and diameter of hair follicles in subcutaneous tissue, as well as dermal layer thickness, which are indicative of anagen phase induction. Additionally, S. chamaejasme extract upregulated the mRNA expression levels of WNT10A, NOG, TBR1, EFG, FGF10, LEF1, and TGF-β.ConclusionThe results suggest that S. chamaejasme extract could be a potential treatment for promoting hair growth.

The gastrointestinal tract is the first organ directly affected by fasting. However, little is known about how fasting influences the intestinal immune system. Intestinal dendritic cells (DCs) capture antigens, migrate to secondary lymphoid organs, and provoke adaptive immune responses. We evaluated the changes of intestinal DCs in mice with short-term fasting and their effects on protective immunity against Listeria monocytogenes(LM). Fasting induced an increased number of CD103 + CD11b − DCs in both small intestinal lamina propria (SILP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (mLN). The SILP CD103 + CD11b − DCs showed proliferation and migration, coincident with increased levels of GM-CSF and C-C chemokine receptor type 7, respectively. At 24 h post-infection with LM, there was a significant reduction in the bacterial burden in the spleen, liver, and mLN of the short-term-fasted mice compared to those fed ad libitum. Also, short-term-fasted mice showed increased survival after LM infection compared with ad libitum-fed mice. It could be that significantly high TGF-β2 and Aldh1a2 expression in CD103 + CD11b - DCs in mice infected with LM might affect to increase of Foxp3 + regulatory T cells. Changes of major subset of DCs from CD103 + to CD103 - may induce the increase of IFN-γ–producing cells with forming Th1-biased environment.Therefore, the short-term fasting affects protection against LM infection by changing major subset of intestinal DCs from tolerogenic to Th1 immunogenic.