In Vitro Analyses of CD4-Protein Function in Dedifferentiated Keratinocyte Cell Lines
January 2023
TLDR The CD4 protein may play a role in the behavior of certain skin cells, affecting their growth, movement, and differentiation.
The study investigated the role of the CD4 protein in basal cell-like keratinocytes, using a dedifferentiated keratinocyte cell line (ddHaCaT). The results showed that MHCII treatment of CD4-expressing ddHaCaT cells led to decreased proliferation and reduced cAMP levels. IL-1α treatment did not affect the proliferation rate of ddHaCaT and CD4-expressing ddHaCaT cells, but surprisingly decreased the CD4 mRNA expression of ddHaCaT cells. CD4-expressing ddHaCaT cells actively migrated to a TNFα gradient when cultured in 2% cFCS-containing medium. These findings suggest a functional role for the CD4 protein in basal cell-like keratinocytes, possibly through a TCR/CD3-independent signaling pathway, similar to monocytes, and inducing differentiation of these cells. However, further studies are needed to confirm these findings and provide more insights into the functional role of CD4 in keratinocytes.
