Author response: Type XVII collagen coordinates proliferation in the interfollicular epidermis

    June 2017
    Mika Watanabe, Ken Natsuga, Wataru Nishie, Yasuaki Kobayashi, Giacomo Donati, Shotaro Suzuki, Y Fujimura, Tadasuke Tsukiyama, Hideyuki Ujiie, Satoru Shinkuma, Hideki Nakamura, Masamoto Murakami, Michitaka Ozaki, Masaharu Nagayama, Fiona M. Watt, Hiroshi Shimizu
    TLDR Type XVII collagen helps control skin cell growth and may have anti-aging effects.
    The study investigated the role of Type XVII collagen (COL17) in the interfollicular epidermis (IFE), focusing on its potential as an anti-aging molecule and its regulation of proliferation through Wnt signaling. It was found that loss of COL17 led to hyperproliferation and altered Wnt signaling, with aging also reducing COL17 levels and causing similar effects. However, reviewers noted concerns about the strength of the link between Wnt signaling and the observed phenotype, the transient nature of hyperproliferation in mice compared to humans, and speculative discussions on COL17's role in oncogenesis. Discrepancies between in vivo and in vitro findings were highlighted, and further validation was suggested to clarify these observations before publication.
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