The co-expression pattern of VEGFR-2 with indicators related to proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation of anagen hair follicles

An increasing number of studies show that vascular endothelial growth factor is an important regulator of hair growth, and involves in processes of hair follicle development by vascularization. Recently, VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) has been detected in epithelial cells of hair follicles, indicating that it may have a direct role in the biological activity of hair follicles. To explore how VEGFR-2 regulates hair follicle development, we investigated the co-expression pattern of VEGFR-2 with β-catenin, Bax, Bcl-2, involucrin, AE13 (hair cortex cytokeratin), keratin 16, keratin 14, and Laminin 5 by immunofluorescence double staining in anagen hair follicles of normal human scalp skin. The results of double staining immunofluorescence showed a strong overlapping and similar expression pattern for VEGFR-2 with β-catenin and Bcl-2, and revealing associated expression pattern with involucrin, AE13, keratin 14, keratin 16, and Laminin 5. These results elucidated that VEGFR-2 activation may participate in hair follicle differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis in vivo.