CD98hc (SLC3A2) Regulation of Skin Homeostasis Wanes With Age

The study investigated the role of CD98hc (SLC3A2) in skin homeostasis and aging. It found that CD98hc deletion in murine epidermis led to improper skin homeostasis and wound healing, resembling aged skin alterations. These defects were linked to reduced CD98hc expression in elderly mice and were associated with early integrin-dependent Src activation issues. The study highlighted the importance of the CD98hc/integrins/RhoGEF (LARG)/RhoA pathway in maintaining skin homeostasis and showed that deregulated RhoA activation in the absence of CD98hc was due to impaired amino acid transport.