The effect of Lactobacillus plantarum hydrolysates promoting VEGF production on vascular growth and hair growth of C57BL/6 mice

Purpose: Angiogenesis is critical in various biological processes, such as blood vessel growth, fetal differentiation, wound healing, and organ regeneration. Various growth factors have been associated with vascular regeneration, including insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), transforming growth factor- (TGF-), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). One of the most important mediators of vascular regeneration is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF is known to increase vascular permeability, induce the proliferation of endothelial cells, and stimulate capillary formation in vivo, which are core angiogenic functions. Methods: The hydrolysates of lactic acid bacteria were produced by hydrolyzing Lactobacillus plantarum with proteases, treated with MG-63 osteoblasts, and screened to obtain samples with an excellent VEGF production effect. These samples were applied to human dermal papilla cells (hDPC) to examine the correlation between cell growth and VEGF secretion. Furthermore, the hair growth rate was measured in hair growth experiments using C57BL/6 male mice. Results: The hydrolysates of the lactic acid bacteria produced in this study produced hair growth superior to the growth obtained with 5% minoxidil in hair growth experiments using C57BL/6 male mice. Conclusions: This study aims to develop a material for application to the scalp that promotes angiogenesis in the scalp and facilitates the exchange of nutrients and wastes in the follicles to promote hair growth.