Aminoacyl tRNA synthetase complex interacting multifunctional protein 1 induces proliferation of CD34+ hair follicle stem cell

The study investigated the role of Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase interacting multifunctional protein 1 (AIMP1) in hair follicle stem cell proliferation and its potential as a treatment for hair loss. AIMP1, when dissociated from the multi-tRNA synthetase complex, was found to be secreted by dermal papilla cells in a sonic hedgehog (Shh) signal-dependent manner. This secretion increased the proliferation of CD34+ hair follicle stem cells by promoting the wnt signaling pathway through inhibition of sFRP1, a known wnt antagonist. The study demonstrated that the N-terminal fragment of AIMP1 could be developed into a therapeutic peptide for alopecia. When applied topically to depilated mice, this peptide significantly accelerated hair growth, especially when formulated with carbomer. These findings highlighted a novel mechanism of AIMP1 and its potential application in treating hair loss.