# Retinoic-Acid-Related Orphan Receptor Alpha Is Involved in the Regulation of the Cytoskeleton of Hair Follicle Stem Cells

## TL;DR

This study explores how a receptor called Rorα affects the structure and movement of hair follicle stem cells, which could help in understanding hair development and treating hair loss.

## Contribution

The study reveals a novel regulatory role of Rorα in controlling cytoskeletal dynamics and migration of hair follicle stem cells through direct gene regulation.

## Key findings

- Rorα activation suppresses cytoskeleton-related gene expression in hair follicle stem cells.
- Rorα binds to the Actg1 gene promoter and regulates its transcription, affecting cell migration and adhesion.
- Agonist-induced Rorα activity alters the cytoskeletal state and inhibits stem cell migration.

## Abstract

The development and replacement of hair play a significant role in the life history of animals. In recent years, retinoic-acid-related orphan receptor alpha (Rorα) has been found to participate in the regulation of hair follicle development, yet the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study aims to analyze the regulatory role of Rorα on the cytoskeleton of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). We treated HFSCs with a RORA agonist and subsequently analyzed differential gene expression using qPCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence, finding that agonist-induced activation of RORA suppressed the expression levels of cytoskeleton-related genes. Additionally, F-actin staining with phalloidin, followed by migration assays and wound healing tests for cell migration detection, revealed that this process affected the cytoskeletal state of HFSCs and inhibited their migration and adhesion capabilities. We further conducted interaction analyses using CUT&RUN combined with ddPCR and EMSA, demonstrating that RORA can bind to the promoter regions of the Actg1 gene and regulate their transcription. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory processes involved in hair follicle development and may provide broader insights into the treatment of diseases such as alopecia.