A Disulfide-Sticker Strategy for Marine Adhesive Coatings: From Deciphering Self-Assembly Mechanism to Functional Application in Hair Regeneration
July 2026
in “
Advanced Science
”
disulfide-sticker strategy recombinant scallop adhesive protein Sbp9 Δ dynamic disulfide bonds Ca 2+ coordination β-sheet-rich nanostructures antioxidant properties angiogenesis follicular cell proliferation reactive oxygen species minoxidil androgenetic alopecia hair follicles Wnt signaling pathway calcium signaling pathways marine adhesive mechanisms Rogaine
TLDR A new adhesive coating from scallop protein boosts hair growth better than minoxidil.
The study introduces a disulfide-sticker strategy using the recombinant scallop adhesive protein Sbp9 Δ, which employs dynamic disulfide bonds and Ca 2+ coordination to achieve hierarchical self-assembly. This process results in β-sheet-rich nanostructures that form robust adhesive coatings with antioxidant properties. The Sbp9 Δ coating significantly enhances hair regeneration by promoting angiogenesis, stimulating follicular cell proliferation, and scavenging reactive oxygen species, outperforming minoxidil. In a mouse model of androgenetic alopecia, it activates hair follicles by modulating Wnt and calcium signaling pathways, demonstrating a novel approach to hair regeneration inspired by marine adhesive mechanisms.
