Methionine Modulates the Growth and Development of Heat-Stressed Dermal Papilla Cells via the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling...

This study furnishes insights into how methionine mitigates heat-stress-induced impairments in hair follicle development in Rex rabbits at the cellular level. Dermal papilla cells from the dorsal skin of Rex rabbits were isolated, cultured in vitro, and divided into six groups, i.e., control (37 °C; 0 mM methionine), heat stress (45 °C; 0 mM methionine), and heat stress + methionine (45 °C; 15 mM, 30 mM, 45 mM, and 60 mM methionine), with six replicates per group. The heat stress groups were exposed to 45 °C, 5% CO₂, and 95% humidity for 30 min, followed by recovery at 37 °C, repeated three times over three days. On the third day, samples were collected post-heat stress. The results show that methionine markedly fortified HSP70, MSRA, and SOD expression (p < 0.01); augmented proliferation (p < 0.01); ameliorated cell cycle progression; and lessened apoptosis (p < 0.05). Adding Wnt signaling pathway activators and inhibitors manifested that these effects were associated with diminished β-catenin phosphorylation and aggrandized expression of the Wnt10b, β-catenin (p < 0.001), and LEF/TCF nuclear transcription factors (p < 0.01). Thus, this study demonstrates that methionine regulates the growth and development of heat-stressed hair papilla cells via the Wnt signaling pathway, remitting heat-stress trauma.