# Quercetin promotes production of secondary hair follicle stem cells in cashmere goat: a mechanistic study

## TL;DR

Quercetin boosts the growth of hair follicle stem cells in cashmere goats by activating several biological pathways, which could help improve cashmere production.

## Contribution

This study reveals the novel mechanism by which quercetin promotes secondary hair follicle stem cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in cashmere goats.

## Key findings

- Quercetin at 10 μg/mL significantly increased SHFSC proliferation and S-phase cell proportion.
- Quercetin inhibited apoptosis by modulating BAX, BCL2, and CASP3 expression.
- Quercetin activated PI3K–Akt, Wnt, and TGF-β pathways, enhancing cell growth and reducing ROS levels.

## Abstract

This study investigated the effects of quercetin on the proliferation and apoptosis of secondary hair follicle stem cells (SHFSCs) isolated from Arbas cashmere goats.

SHFSCs were treated with varying quercetin concentrations. CCK-8, EdU assays, and flow cytometry analyses were performed to assess cell proliferation and apoptosis. Transcriptome analyses were used to identify differentially expressed genes and enriched signaling pathways.

Treatment with 10 μg/mL quercetin for 48 h significantly promoted cell proliferation. The proportion of S-phase cells increased from 15.5% to 21.2%, and the mRNA and protein levels of PCNA and TERT were upregulated. Quercetin inhibited apoptosis by downregulating BAX, TP53, and CASP3, upregulating BCL2, and reducing the number of late apoptotic cells. Mechanistically, quercetin activated the PI3K–Akt, Wnt, and TGF-β signaling pathways, upregulated CCND1 and CDK4 expression, improved mitochondrial membrane potential, reduced ROS levels, and promoted VEGF, FGF, and HGF secretion. Transcriptome analyses revealed that differentially expressed genes were enriched in translational processes, insulin-like growth factor binding, and proliferation-related signaling pathways.

Quercetin promotes SHFSC proliferation and inhibits apoptosis through multiple pathways, providing a potential regulatory strategy for improving cashmere production in goats.