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Cystine Promotes the Development of Hair Follicle in Rabbits by Regulating Wnt Signalling Pathway
Ce Liu1, Xiaojing Liu1, Liankun Li1
1Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multiomics of MARA, Jinan, China.
Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition
|February 25, 2026
Summary
Supplementing Rex rabbit diets with cystine improves fur quality and hair follicle density. The optimal dietary level of cystine for enhanced fur development in Rex rabbits is 0.2%.
Area of Science:
- Animal Nutrition
- Dermatology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Amino acids, particularly cystine, are vital nutrients for fur-bearing animals.
- Hair follicle development is crucial for fur quality in species like Rex rabbits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of dietary cystine supplementation on hair follicle development and fur quality in Rex rabbits.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying cystine's effects on hair follicle development, focusing on Wnt signaling pathways.
Main Methods:
- 224 Rex rabbits were fed diets with varying cystine levels (0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%) for 60 days.
- Hair follicle density, gene expression, and protein phosphorylation of Wnt signaling components were analyzed in skin and cultured dermal papilla cells (DPCs).
Main Results:
- Dietary cystine significantly improved fur quality (p < 0.05), with 0.2% being the optimal level.
- Cystine promoted DPC proliferation and altered cell cycle progression in vitro.
- Cystine modulated Wnt signaling pathway genes (Wnt10b, CTNNB1, Dickkopf-1) and reduced phosphorylated CTNNB1 and GSK-3β levels.
Conclusions:
- Dietary cystine supplementation enhances fur quality and hair density in Rex rabbits.
- Cystine likely promotes hair follicle development by activating Wnt signaling pathways and enhancing DPC proliferation.
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