Differential Distribution of the Epigenetic Marker 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Hair Follicle Stem Cells During Bulge Activation

In 2019, researchers from Harvard College and Brigham and Women's Hospital investigated the role of the epigenetic hydroxymethylation marker, 5-hmC, in the activation of hair follicle stem cells. They found that the distribution of 5-hmC varied within the nuclei of CK15-positive stem cells in the bulge region of murine hair follicles during early anagen, a growth phase. This pattern was not seen in resting stem cells of telogen follicles, which did not express 5-hmC. Additionally, changes in 5-hmC reactivity in bulge stem cells were observed during early anagen phases induced in an organ culture model. These findings suggested that 5-hmC might play a dynamic role in bulge activation during anagen growth, laying the groundwork for further research into the epigenomic regulation of hair follicle stem cells.