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BACKGROUND: Autophagy has become a rapidly developing research hotspot in the biomedical fields. Many researchers are actively exploring the molecular regulatory mechanism of autophagy in a variety of diseases. However, the role of autophagy in hair growth is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: To review the current research progress and application value of autophagy in hair growth and regeneration, to understand the role of autophagy in hair growth, to explore the pathogenesis of autophagy in pathological hair loss, and to provide new ideas for the study of drugs for hair loss. METHODS: Using “hair follicle growth, hair growth, hair regeneration, autophagy associated proteins, autophagy activity, autophagy associated genes, autophagy” as Chinese search terms and “hair growth, hair follicle, hair regeneration, autophagy” as English search terms, PubMed and CNKI databases were searched. The research progress on autophagy, hair growth and the role of autophagy in hair growth in and outside China in recent years was reviewed and summarized. Articles incompatible with the subject content of the paper were excluded. Finally, 78 articles were included for the result analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Autophagy is a normal metabolic process in eukaryotes with complex molecular mechanisms and functional properties, which is beneficial to cell survival and cell death. (2) Alopecia-related diseases are associated with changes in autophagy activity, which can regulate hair growth cycle. Knockout or overexpression of autophagy-related genes can change the state of hair growth. Multiple autophagy related signaling pathways have been found to be related to hair follicle growth. Activators or inhibitors of autophagy can be used to treat or prevent hair loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cashmere goats have been widely raised in northern China, and they have great economic importance to local farmers and herders. The cashmere is one of the main uses of cashmere goats, and it is produced from the secondary hair follicles (SHFs) of cashmere goats. The biological event of induced activation of SHF stem cells by the dermal papilla cell-derived signals is essential to the anagen initiation and reconstruction of cashmere goat SHFs; however, its precise molecular mechanism is still unknown. In the present investigation, the expression level of m6A-modified circERCC6 (m6A-circERCC6) was found to be significantly higher at anagen SHF bulge than that of telogen. Further, we demonstrated that the circERCC6 positively regulates the induced activation of SHF stem-cells via the miR-412-3p/BNC2 axis in cashmere goats, and the m6A modification of circERCC6 is required for its function exertion. The obtained results provided a novel molecular basis for uncovering the intrinsic regulatory mechanisms of the induced activation process of SHF stem cells in cashmere goats. Also, the results will provide significant information for improving the SHF regeneration ability of cashmere goats with the growth of cashmere fibers. The cashmere, a kind of nature protein fiber, is one of the main use of cashmere goats. The induced activation of secondary hair follicle (SHF) stem cells by the dermal papilla cell-derived signals is a key biological process for the morphogenesis and growth of cashmere fiber in cashmere goats. Previously, the circRNA-ERCC6 (circERCC6) was identified from cashmere goat SHFs; however, its biological significance is unclear in the SHF physiology process of cashmere goats. In this study, we found that circERCC6 exhibited significantly higher expression at anagen SHF bulge compared with the counterpart of telogen and harbored three m6A modified sites (named m6A-685, m6A-862, and m6A-995) through methylation immunoprecipitation using a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Me-RIP-qPCR) technique. The knockdown experiments of circERCC6 in SHF stem cells showed that circERCC6 positively regulates the induced activation of SHF stem cells in cashmere goats. Through a dual-luciferase reporter assay, we demonstrated that m6A-modified circERCC6 (m6A-circERCC6) sponged miR-412-3p to upregulate the expression of BNC2 mRNA in SHFstem cells. Through m6A-deficient mutant assay in circERCC6 knockdown SHF stem cells, we further showed that m6A modification within circERCC6 is required to mediate the miR-412-3p/BNC2 axis to finally promote the proper induced activation of SHF stem cells in cashmere goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Liaoning cashmere goat is a unique breed in China. It has an excellent germplasm resource with high villus yield, fine villus fibre quality, stable genetic performance and significant economic benefits.In this study, the effects of different concentrations of 1.25(OH)2D3 on the proliferation of skin fibroblasts was detected via CCK8 assay, while the expression of genes and proteins related to villus growth in Liaoning cashmere goat were detected by qRT-PCR and Western Blot. Treatment of Liaoning cashmere goat skin fibroblasts with 0.01 ng/L of 1.25(OH)2D3 for 72 h significantly promoted the proliferation of Liaoning cashmere goat skin fibroblasts, increased the expression of VDR, WNT10B, LEF1 and β-catenin genes, and decreased the expression of BMP4 and BMPRIB genes, indicating that 1.25(OH)2D3 plays a positive role in regulating hair follicle growth and development through the WNT and BMP signaling pathway, which positively regulates the growth and development of hair follicles. VDR interacting proteins were screened using Co-IP combined mass spectrometry. After treatment of cells with 0.01 ng/L of 1.25(OH)2D3 for 72 h, VDR interacting proteins were enriched to PI3K-AKT signaling pathways associated with hair follicle growth and development. Moreover, mitogen-activated protein kinase, protein S100, protein disulfide bond isomerase protein, FLII actin remodeling protein and multifunctional proteoglycan protein related to the growth and development of hair follicles were upregulated, indicating that a positive regulatory effect of 1.25(OH)2D3 on hair follicle growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cashmere goats are one of the most important animal breeds in northern China. Cashmere is characterised by good quality and high yield and represents an excellent textile material. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the development of cashmere hair follicles is poorly understood, which limits the further development of the cashmere industry. Here, we used whole-transcriptome sequencing to analyse goat embryonic skin samples and carried out experimental verification. We found that fibroblast growth factor 10 and the interacting non-coding RNA miR-184 play important roles in dermal papilla cells of cashmere goat secondary hair follicles. This discovery not only further improves the theoretical understanding of the development of cashmere wool follicles but also has significant implications for functional research on fibroblast growth factor 10 and miR-184. Cashmere, a keratinised product of secondary hair follicles (SHFs) in cashmere goats, holds an important place in international high-end textiles. However, research on the complex molecular and signal regulation during the development and growth of hair follicles (HFs), which is essential for the development of the cashmere industry, is limited. Moreover, increasing evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) participate in HF development. Herein, we systematically investigated a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network mediated by circular RNAs (circRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in skin samples of cashmere goat embryos, using whole-transcriptome sequencing technology. We obtained 6468, 394, and 239 significantly differentially expressed mRNAs, circRNAs, and miRNAs, respectively. These identified RNAs were further used to construct a ceRNA regulatory network, mediated by circRNAs, for cashmere goats at a late stage of HF development. Among the molecular species identified, miR-184 and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 10 exhibited competitive targeted interactions. In secondary HF dermal papilla cells (SHF-DPCs), miR-184 promotes proliferation, inhibits apoptosis, and alters the cell cycle via the competitive release of FGF10. This study reports that FGF10 and its interaction with ncRNAs significantly affect SHF-DPCs, providing a reference for research on the biology of HFs in cashmere goats and other mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albinism is a kind of anomalous hypopigmentation with a complete white pelage, and it is completely devoid of melanin in the skin, hair follicles and eyes. The present paper firstly reports two cases of adult mole shrews (Anourosorex squamipes) with albinism, which were found in Sichuan province of southwestern China. The two female mole shrews show a complete white pelage. Stained by the soil, the albinistic mole shrews show a yellowish white color. Besides the same morphological characteristics, all the body parameters of the two albinistic mole shrews are within the parameter range of the six normal mole shrews captured at the same site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coat of mammals is produced by hair follicles, and hair follicle is an important and complex accessory organ of skin. As a complex physiological regulation process, hair follicle morphogenesis is regulated by a series of signal pathway factors, involves the interaction of multiple cell types and begins in the early embryonic stage. However, its transcriptional regulatory mechanism is unclear. We have therefore utilized single-cell ATAC sequencing to obtain the chromatin accessibility landscapes of 6,928, 6,961 and 7,374 high-quality cells from the dorsal skins of E13.5, E16.5 and P0 mice (Mus musculus), respectively. Based on marker gene activity clustering, we defined 6, 8 and 5 distinct cell types in E13.5, E16.5 and P0 stages, respectively. Furtherly, we integrated the fibroblasts and keratinocytes clusters, performed further analysis and re-clustered. The single cell map of the chromatin open area was drawn from each cell type and the mechanism of cell transcription regulation was explored. Collectively, our data provide a reference for deeply exploring the epigenetic regulation mechanism of mouse hair follicles development. Measurement(s) Mouse Skin Technology Type(s) scATAC-seq (Microfluidics) Sample Characteristic - Location China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seeds of Vaccaria segetalis (Neck.) are from a traditional medicinal plant Garcke, also called Wang-Bu-Liu-Xing in China. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the seeds of V. segetalis can be used for treating urinary system diseases. This study was designed to investigate the underlying mechanism of VSP (polysaccharides from Vaccaria segetalis) against urinary tract infections caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Here, both in vitro and in vivo infection models were established with the UPEC strain CFT073. Bacterial adhesion and invasion into bladder epithelial cells were analyzed. We found that VSP reduced the adhesion of UPEC to the host by inhibiting the expression of bacterial hair follicle adhesion genes. VSP also reduced the invasion of UPEC by regulating the uroplakins and Toll-like receptors of host epithelial cells. In addition, the swarming motility and flagella-mediated motility genes flhC, flhD and Flic of UPEC were diminished after VSP intervention. Taken together, our findings reveal a possible mechanism by which VSP interferes with the adhesion and invasion of UPEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are derived from the bulge region and are important autologous stem cell sources. Bibliometric is a statistical method that quantitatively analyses the research papers concerned about one special topic. This study aims to estimate the research status and trends of HFSCs worldwide by bibliometric analyses. Methods: Data were obtained from the Web of Science by searching keywords related to HFSCs. Publication distributions stratified by countries/regions, institutions, journals, and authors were systematically assessed. The frequency of keywords was assessed, and bibliometric mapping was employed to describe the development of HFSC research. Results: A total of 458 publications that met our screening criteria were included in this study, consisting of 423 (92.4%) articles and 35 (7.6%) reviews. The United States of America (USA) ranked first in the number of publications at 146 (31.9%), followed by China at 130 (28.4%), which is consistent with the rank of the H-index. Author keywords were classified into three clusters, namely, basic study, applied study, and biomarker; average publication time of keywords in applied study cluster is later than basic study cluster. The keywords "bulge", "nestin", and "skin" are the top three most frequent keywords in basic studies; "differentiation", "proliferation", and "alopecia" are the top three most frequent keywords in applied studies. With respect to the latest research hotspots, "apoptosis" and "tissue engineering" are relatively new keywords. Conclusions: The USA and China were the most productive countries for research on HFSCs. The focus of keywords gradually shifted from basic study to applied study. Research on the differentiation/proliferation of HFSCs and the role of HFSCs in alopecia have been recent research focuses. Apoptosis and tissue engineering are recommended as promising research hotspots. Our study provides profound insights into the research history, current status, and future trend of HFSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Minxian black fur (MBF) sheep are found in the northwestern parts of China. These sheep have developed several special traits. Skin color is a phenotype subject to strong natural selection and diverse skin colors are likely a consequence of differences in gene regulation. Methods. Skin structure, color differences, and gene expression (determined by RNA sequencing) were evaluated the Minxian black fur and Small-tail Han sheep (nD3 each group), which are both native Chinese sheep breeds. Results. Small-tail Han sheep have a thicker skin and dermis than the Minxian black fur sheep (P <0:01); however, the quantity of melanin granules is greater (P <0:01) in Minxian black fur sheep with a more extensive distribution in skin tissue and hair follicles. One hundred thirty-three differentially expressed genes were significantly associated with 37 ontological terms and two critical KEGG pathways for pigmentation ("tyrosine metabolism" and "melanogenesis" pathways). Important genes from those pathways with known involvement in pigmentation included OCA2 melanosomal transmembrane protein (OCA2), dopachrome tautomerase (DCT), tyrosinase (TYR) and tyrosinase related protein (TYRP1), melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), and preme-lanosome protein (PMEL). The results from our histological and transcriptome analyses will form a foundation for additional investigation into the genetic basis and regulation of pigmentation in these sheep breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with taurine on production performance, serum biochemistry, immunoglobulin, antioxidant and hormones of Angora rabbits. A total of 160 8-month-old Angora rabbits with similar body weight were randomly assigned to one of four dietary groups, with 40 animals per group. The dietary groups consisted of the following different taurine supplementation levels: 0 (control), 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3% (air-dry basis). The 73-d feeding trial (from July 31 to October 11, 2016 in China) included a 7-d adjustment period and a 66-d experimental period. The results showed that taurine dietary supplementation had effects on feed consumption, hair follicle density and wool yield of the Angora rabbits (P<0.05), and adding 0.2% taurine could improve the wool yield. Compared with the control group, serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels in supplemented groups were decreased (P<0.05). Dietary supplementation with taurine could improve the activity of superoxide dismutase, enhance total antioxidant capacity and reduce the content of malondialdehyde in serum (P<0.05). Besides, the serum level of thyroid (T4) hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 in experimental groups was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, taurine dietary supplementation could reduce the lipid metabolism, enhance the antioxidant capacity and hormone level of Angora rabbits, and adding 0.2% taurine could achieve the effect of increasing wool production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liaoning Cashmere goat is a precious genetic resource of China. To explore the relationship between POMP and cashmere growth, we analyzed the expression of POMP. POMP encodes a hudrophilic protein which is most closely related to bos. RT-PCR showed that POMP was expressed in skin, heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney tissues. Real-time PCR showed that the expression of POMP was more active in the secondary hair follicles than the primary hair follicles in anagen. In situ hybridization showed that POMP was obviously expressed in the Inner Root Sheath (IRS) but no expression in Outer Root. The treatment of fibroblasts with melatonin (MT), fibroblast growth factors 5 (FGF5) and insulin-like growth factors 1 (IGF-1) showed that MT/FGF5/IGF-1 much performance for inhibiting the expression of POMP; MT + FGF5 inhibited the expression of POMP; MT + IGF-1 promoted the expression of POMP. When Noggin expression is decreased by siRNA, the expression of POMP is inhibited. To sum up, POMP strongly expressed in the root sheath of hair follicles, related to the development of the primary and secondary hair follicle; In addition, by adding MT/FGF5/IGF-1 or interfering with the Noggin expression to regulate the expression of POMP, to control the growth of Liaoning Cashmere goat cashmere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise in the incidence of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in China has increased the inclination toward hair transplantation. To calculate the optimum density of hair follicles needed covering both the hairless area and the safe donor area (SDA), 119 male patients with AGA were recruited into this multicenter investigation. We evaluated the mean diameter and the number of hair follicles (HFs) and follicular units (FUs) in the SDA of AGA. The mean density of HFs was 137.45 ± 30.11 hair/cm2 and the FUs was 76.82 ± 12.09 FUs/cm2. The mean diameter of the hair was 0.97 ± 0.01 mm in the SDA. We obtained the decisive factors in the restoration of the scalp by building a geometric model and summarizing it in a new formula. This study showed that the length and direction of the hair play a vital role in restoring the bald area with hair transplantation. The density of 55.00 ± 10.00 hair/cm2 (30.00 ± 5.00 FUs/cm2) for the transplanted area and no less than 106.88 hair/cm2 (60.00 FUs/cm2) for SDA is regarded as an optimum parameter for hair transplantation of AGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liaoning cashmere goats are the most precious genetic resources in China. The function of LAMTOR3 [late endosomal/lysosomal adaptor, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and mammalian target of rapamycin activator 3/MAPK scaffold protein 1] gene is expressed in the skin of Liaoning cashmere goats. In situ hybridization (ISH) found that LAMTOR3 is expressed in the inner root sheath (IRS) of hair follicles. During the anagen or catagen phase, the expression of LAMTOR3 is higher in secondary hair follicles than in primary hair follicles. Expression of LAMTOR3 in skin cells treated with melatonin or insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is lower than in untreated cells. In addition, the simultaneous treatment of fibroblast growth factor 5 and melatonin decrease the expression of LAMTOR3 in skin cells. The simultaneous treatment with melatonin and 10−5 g/L IGF-1 or 10−4 g/L IGF-1 increases the expression of LAMTOR3 gene in skin cells. If Noggin expression is decreased, then LAMTOR3 expression is increased. This hypothesis suggested that LAMTOR3 influences the character of cashmere fiber, and it may regulate the development of hair follicle and cashmere growth by inducing the MAPK signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Alopecia affected approximately 16.6% of all people in China, however, treatment options remain limited due to the side effects. Plant bioactive compound baicalin (BC) possesses hair growth-promotion activity, but poor water solubility and unsuitable log P value restrict its topical application, and natural Glycyrrhizin (GL) can exactly overcome these drawbacks. Here, BC was encapsulated in GL to form GL-BC micelles for alopecia treatment. Simultaneously, tween 80 (TW) as carriers was incorporated in the GL-BC to form GL-TW-BC micelles. The topical penetration, penetration pathways, cellular uptake and the underlying mechanisms behind the hair loss reconstruction of the GL micelles were investigated. We found the optimal GL-BC and GL-TW-BC formulations significantly improved the penetration and accumulation of BC in the porcine skin predominantly through the hair follicles pathways without causing skin irritation, which resulted in a targeted treatment. The proliferation of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) and effective cellular uptake was also enhanced. Moreover, the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, up-expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were the mechanisms of micelles for the hair recovery. Interestingly, GL and BC exhibited a synergistic treatment of alopecia. Collectively, GL-BC and GL-TW-BC can be used as promising approaches for the treatment of alopecia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Keloid is a skin fibrotic disease with the characteristics of recurrence and invasion, its pathogenesis still remains unrevealed. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is critical for wound healing, fibrosis, recurrence, and invasion of cancer. We sought to investigate the EMT in keloid and the mechanism through which the EMT regulates keloid formation. In keloid tissues, the expressions of EMT-associated markers and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/Smad3 signaling were examined by immunohistochemistry. In the keloid epidermis and dermal tissue, the expressions of genes related to the regulation of skin homeostasis, fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 ( FGFR2) and p63, were analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that accompanying the loss of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and the gain of the mesenchymal markers fibroblast-specific protein 1 (FSP1) and vimentin in epithelial cells from epidermis and skin appendages, and in endothelial cells from dermal microvessels, enhanced TGF-β1 expression and Smad3 phosphorylation were noted in keloid tissues. Moreover, alternative splicing of the FGFR2 gene switched the predominantly expressed isoform from FGFR2-IIIb to -IIIc, concomitant with the decreased expression of ΔNp63 and TAp63, which changes might partially account for abnormal epidermis and appendages in keloids. In addition, we found that TGF-β1-induced hair follicle outer root sheath keratinocytes (ORSKs) and normal skin epithelial cells underwent EMT in vitro with ORSKs exhibiting more obvious EMT changes and more similar expression profiles for EMT-associated and skin homeostasis-related genes as in keloid tissues, suggesting that ORSKs might play crucial roles in the EMT in keloids. Our study provided insights into the molecular mechanisms mediating the EMT pathogenesis of keloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on growth biology of Cashmere goat found in the Buyun Mountains of the Liaotung Peninsula in China. It informs that a full-length open reading frame of cDNA-encoding prolactin protein in Liaoning Cashmere goats was isolated and its expression pattern in skin tissue at the stages of hair follicle cycling was examined for the study. The study result suggests that pituitary gland may be the major contributor of circulating prolactin in Cashmere goat.

Background Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous follicles. Recent studies bring us increasing evidences that hereditary factors play an important but indirect role in acne. Objective To investigate the possible role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris in Chinese Han ethnic group. Parients and methods Volunteers of 975 acne cases and 580 controls were included, contributing 3009 and 1825 first-degree relatives, respectively. One thousand and eighty-five first-degree relatives of acne cases were affected with facial acne. This compared with 223 first-degree relatives of non-acne controls. The odds ratio was used to estimate the relative risk for acne vulgaris associated with having an affected first-degree relative. Results The risk of acne vulgaris occurring in a relative of a patient with acne vulgaris was significantly greater than for the relative of an unaffected individual (odds ratio 4.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.45–4.76, P < 0.001). Conclusion Our study suggests that familial factors are important in determining individual susceptibility to acne vulgaris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article evaluates and compares the hair growth characteristics of young adult African, Asian and Caucasian volunteers. The study was conducted in three countries between 1999 and 2003. In China, 188 Chinese volunteers living in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou took part in the study. In France, 118 volunteers native to West or Central Africa and 107 French Caucasians, all living in Paris and its suburbs, were recruited. The hair growth parameters were assessed using the noninvasive technique of phototrichogram. In all regions and ethnic groups, the percentage of hair in the telogen phase varied greatly, from 0 to 57%.

The Zhongwei goat is an important and unique goat breed indigenous to China. It has a natural hair curling phenotype at birth, but the degree of curling gradually decreases with growth. The molecular mechanism underlying the dynamic changes in the wool curvature in Zhongwei goats is poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in many biological processes, including hair growth and development. In this study, we selected skins from Zhongwei goats at different ages (45 and 108 days) that exhibited different levels of hair curvature and performed miRNA sequencing to explore the molecular mechanism of hair bending. In total, 28 significantly differentially expressed miRNAs (DE miRNAs) were identified in the three groups of samples between the two developmental stages. An analysis of the target genes of the above-mentioned DE miRNAs by the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses indicated that the DE miRNAs were involved in signal pathways which were previously associated with hair bending and hair follicle development, such as the TGF-β/SMAD, PI3K-Akt, JAK-STAT, and MAPK pathways. A comprehensive analysis of the correlations between the miRNA-seq results and issued transcriptional findings indicated that SMAD1 was a target gene of miR-26a and SMAD5 was a target gene of miR-130a. Furthermore, goat dermal papilla cells were successfully isolated and purified to determine the role of miRNAs in follicle development in vitro. The study results demonstrated that miR-130a and miR-26a had significant effects on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells. In addition, the detection results of mRNA and protein levels indicate that the overexpression of miR-26a can promote the expression of related genes in the TGF-β/SMAD pathway, while miR-130a has the opposite substitution effect. The dual luciferase report test showed that miR-26a targeted the SMAD1 gene and reduced the expression of the SMAD1 protein in hair papillary cells. Our results identified DE microRNAs which perhaps change at the time of hair straightening in Zhongwei goats and explore the role of miR-26a and miR-130a in dermal papilla cells proliferation. The present study provided a theoretical basis to explore the mechanisms underlying the Zhongwei hair growth and curly phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hu sheep, a unique Chinese breed with high reproductive performance, are also well known for their rare white lambskin in China. The quality of lambskin is affected by hair follicles, and dermal papilla cells are an important component of hair follicles that plays a key role in hair follicle growth and development. This study helps elucidate the effect of miR-148a and miR-10a on hair follicle growth and development. Results: Based on the results of gene chip and high-throughput sequencing, bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) was used as a research object. Bioinformatics analysis and the dual-luciferase reporter system indicated that, along with Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) that miR-148a and miR-10a target relationships with BMP7. BMP7 was the target gene both for miR-148a and miR-10a by the dual-luciferase reporter system and Western blot. Hu sheep dermal papilla cells were successfully isolated and purified, and after transfecting miR-148a/miR-10a mimics and inhibitors into dermal papilla cells, a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to determine that miR-148a/miR-10a inhibited the proliferation of Hu sheep dermal papilla cells. In addition, after the overexpression of miR-148a, the expression levels of Smad3 (P < 0.05), Smad6 (P < 0.05), Smad4 (P < 0.01), and Smad5 (P < 0.01) were significantly higher than those of the control groups. After the inhibition of miR-148a, the expression levels of Smad3 (P < 0.05), Smad4 (P < 0.05), and TGF-β (P < 0.01) were significantly lower than those of the control groups. After the overexpression of miR-10a, the expression levels of Smad1 (P < 0.01), Smad2 (P < 0.05), Smad4 (P < 0.01), Smad5 (P < 0.01), and TGF-β (P < 0.05) were significantly lower than those of the control groups. After the inhibition of miR-10a, the expression levels of Smad1 (P < 0.01) and Smad2 (P < 0.05) were significantly lower than those of the control groups. Conclusions: These results revealed the target relationship between miR-148a, miR-10a and BMP7, and the effect of miR-148a and miR-10a on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells. They will provide the basis for a follow-up study on how miR-148a, and miR-10a mediate BMP7 regulation of hair follicle growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]