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Helen Everts
JE340C
(614) 247-7635
heverts@ehe.osu.edu
Assistant Professor
View Helen Everts's curriculum vitae.
B.S. The Pennsylvania State University, Premedicine, University Park, PA, 1990
M.S. The University of Georgia, Foods and Nutrition, Athens GA, 1995
Ph.D. The University of Georgia, Foods and Nutrition, Athens GA, 2000
Postdoctoral Training, University of California at San Diego, Medicine, 2000-2001
Postdoctoral Training, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, Biochemistry, 2001-2005
2008-present
Assistant Professor, Department of Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University
2005-2008
Research Instructor, Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Vitamin A and its derivatives (retinoids) are essential for the development and maintenance of multiple tissues, including skin and hair. Retinoic acid (RA) is the active form of vitamin A. The metabolism of the vitamin A from the food you eat to retinoic acid (RA) in the target tissue involves several regulated steps. The last two steps occur at, or near the site of action. The hair follicle cycles thru three main stages: anagen, a period of growth and differentiation; catagen, a period of regression and apoptosis; and telogen, a period of rest. This cycle is regulated via hair follicle stem cells. These hair follicle stem cells repopulate the hair follicle, and during wound healing repopulate the epidermis as well.
The focus of our laboratory is to determine factors that regulate retinoic acid biosynthesis as well as genes that are regulated by retinoic acid to ultimately determine where retinoic acid fits within the signaling network of the cycling hair follicle. Our laboratory is also determining the role of vitamin A metabolism in various forms of hair loss, including Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA, follicular degeneration syndrome, hot comb alopecia) and Alopecia Areata. CCCA is a permanent hair loss disease that is seen primarily in African American women. The prevalence of CCCA is currently unknown, although, over 50% of African American women over the age of 55 have at least some form of hair loss and 6% had hair loss consistent with CCCA. Alopecia areata is a form of non-scarring hair loss resulting from an autoimmune attack on the hair follicle. It is estimated that 1.7% of the population will get Alopecia Areata in their lifetime. It affects all age groups, races, and genders and is a cause of suicide in teenage girls. While it is caused by mutations in many genes, environmental factors, such as diet, are argued to trigger episodes of hair loss. Few long term treatment options for these two hair loss diseases exist. Retinoids (such as Accutane and Retin-A) are used to treat numerous skin disorders, but they have many side effects. Determining where and when endogenous retinoids are synthesized and how this RA synthesis is regulated provides an important window of opportunity to explore alternate treatments with more specificity and fewer side effects than current retinoid therapies. In addition, most skin disorders and cancers arise from the hair follicle stem cells or sebaceous glands. Thus, understanding the signaling networks that are present in the natural physiological process of the hair cycle and alterations in vitamin A metabolism in hair loss diseases will lead to better treatments for many skin disorders, hair loss, and skin cancers.
Everts, H.B., Sundberg, J.P., King, L.E., and D.E. Ong (2007) Immunolocalization of enzymes, binding proteins, and receptors sufficient for retinoic acid synthesis and signaling during the hair cycle. J. Invest. Dermatol. 127:1593-1604.
Everts, H.B., Sundberg, J.P., and D.E. Ong (2005) Immunolocalization of retinoic acid biosynthesis in selected sites in rat. Exp. Cell Res. 308:309-319.
Everts, H.B., King, L.E., Sundberg, J.P., and D.E. Ong (2004) Hair cycle specific immunolocalization of retinoic acid synthesizing enzymes Aldh1a2 and Aldh1a3 indicate complex regulation. J. Invest. Dermatol. 123:258-263.
Everts, H.B., and C.D. Berdanier (2002) Nutrient-gene interactions in mitochondrial function: vitamin A needs are increased in BHE/Cdb rats. IUBMB Life 53:289-294.
Everts, H.B., D.O. Claassen, C.L. Hermoyian, and C.D. Berdanier (2002) Nutrient-gene interactions in mitochondrial function: dietary vitamin A and mitochondrial gene expression. IUBMB Life 53:295-301.
Everts, H.B., and C.D. Berdanier (2002) Regulation of mitochondrial gene expression by retinoids. IUBMB Life 54:45-49.
Lee J., H.B. Everts, C.D. Berdanier, and R.R. Eitenmiller (2001) Comparison of HPLC and spectrofluorimetric assays of all trans-retinol in hepatic tissue. Food Sci. Biotechnol. 10: 682-685.
Everts, H.B. and C.D. Berdanier (2001) Vitamin A and mitochondrial gene expression. In: Nutrient-Gene Interactions in Health and Disease (N.M. Moussa and C.D. Berdanier, eds) CRC Press, Boca Raton Fl. pp. 321-348.
Berdanier, C.D., H.B. Everts, C.L. Hermoyian, and C.E. Mathews (2001) Role of vitamin A in mitochondrial gene expression. Diab. Res. & Clin. Prac. 54:511-527.
Berdanier, C.D., and H.B. Everts (2001) The role of mitochondrial DNA in aging and degenerative disease. Mutation Research 45:169-184.
Everts, H.B., and C. D. Berdanier (1997) Animal models for the study of non-insulin-dependent diabetes in the absence of obesity. Int. J. Diabetes 5: 1-12.
1 K01 AR052009-05, NIH/NIAMS, 7/01/05-4/30/10, $111,875 direct costs per year
“Endogenous retinoids in mammalian skin and hair function” – The major goal of this project is to determine the localization, regulation, and function of endogenous retinoic acid synthesis during the mouse hair cycle, Role: PI
National Alopecia Areata Foundation, 3/01/08-4/30/09, $50,000 direct costs
“Role of dietary vitamin A in alopecia areata disease progression” – The major goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that alterations in dietary vitamin A will alter the progression of alopecia areata. Role: PI
2007 - Retinoic acid synthesis and degradation enzymes and binding proteins are altered in Alopecia Areata. 5th International Congress of Hair Research, Vancouver, BC.
2007 - Retinoic acid synthesis enzymes and binding proteins are increased in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. 5th International Congress of Hair Research, Vancouver, BC.
2006 - A novel observation about Crabp2 localization in vivo. FASEB Summer Research Conference on Retinoids, Indian Wells, CA.
2004 - Hair cycle specific immunolocalization of retinoic acid synthesis markers. 4th Intercontinental Meeting of Hair Research Societies, Berlin, Germany.
1999 - Optimal mitochondrial function in mitochondrial diabetes depends on a three fold increase in dietary vitamin A. American Diabetes Association’s 59th Scientific Sessions, San Diego, CA.