Detection of Bim and Puma in mouse hair follicles using immunofluorescence and TUNEL assay double staining

Abstract

Apoptosis in hair follicles often is studied under pathological conditions; little is known about apoptotic mechanisms during normal hair follicle formation and maintenance. We investigated proteins of intrinsic apoptotic pathway, Bim and Puma, during hair follicle development and the first catagen stage using immunofluorescence to describe their expression patterns and to correlate them with apoptosis as determined by TUNEL assay. Both proteins were found in developing follicles. Bim and Puma overlapped apoptosis only partially during physiological apoptotic stage and they were present in non-apoptotic parts of the follicles. Our findings suggest that these primary apoptotic molecules participate in postnatal development and maintenance of hair follicles.

Key words::

• apoptosis
• Bim
• development
• hair follicle
• immunofluorescence
• Puma
• TUNEL

Acknowledgments

This work was supported at the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences by P502/12/1285 (Grant Agency of the Czech Republic) and at the Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics by M20045 1201(Academy of Sciences). The IAPG labs are run under the RVO 67985904.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.