Abstract
There is currently limited knowledge about the combined effect of Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT/A) and Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on hair follicle growth and reconstruction. This study aimed to investigate the impact of BoNT/A in conjunction with PRP on hair follicles and explore its underlying mechanisms. The levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and versican levels were assessed to determine their influence on hair follicle growth. Hair follicle quantification was performed, while β-catenin and Ki-67 expression levels were analyzed. The concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured as inflammatory biomarkers. Western blot analysis measured stathmin 1 (STMN1) expression and quantified key Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway components. The findings demonstrated that the conjunction of BoNT/A and PRP effectively enhanced hair follicle growth. It promoted the upregulation of ALP, FGF, PDGF, VEGF, and versican, increased hair follicle number, upregulated ALP levels, and enhanced the expression of β-catenin and Ki-67. It also markedly decreased the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α, potentially inhibiting hair follicle miniaturization by mitigating inflammation. The combined treatment promotes hair follicle growth by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway through STMN1 upregulation. BoNT/A in conjunction with PRP facilitates hair follicle growth and reconstruction through STMN1 protein modulation and Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation.