Comparative gene expression analysis of nestin-expressing hair follicle-derived cells

Since the discovery of nestin-expressing hair follicle-derived cells (NHFCs), they have attracted significant attention for regenerative medicine including neural-tissue engineering. The present study examines the gene expression profiles of NHFCs, focusing on neurotrophic factors and neural differentiation markers, and compares them to those of other well-characterized adult composite stem/progenitor cell systems, including bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells, dental pulp-derived cells, as well as cortical astrocytes and hypothalamic neurons. The expression of key neurotrophic factors such as Bdnf, Ngf, Vegf, Ntf3, and Gdnf as well as neural-differentiation markers such as Nes, Sox10, Dcx, Tubb3, and Gfap are compared. The present study shows that NHFCs express significantly higher levels of Bdnf, Ngf, and Vegf compared to most of other evaluated cell types, indicating their potential neuroprotective properties. Additionally, NHFCs at passage 4 exhibit lower expression of Nes than the other cell types, suggesting a predisposition to differentiate into mature neuronal lineages. Elevated expression of Tubb3 in NHFCs further indicates the potential for neuronal maturation. The simultaneous expression of both neuronal and glial markers in NHFCs indicates their unique differentiation potential. The present study highlights the distinct molecular signature of NHFCs, suggesting their potential as a valuable resource for neuroregenerative therapies and other regenerative medicine applications.