Cyclic Alopecia and Abnormal Epidermal Cornification in Zdhhc13-Deficient Mice Reveal the Importance of Palmitoylation in Hair and Skin Differentiation

June 2015 in “ The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology ”

Kai-Ming Liu, Yi–Ju Chen, Li-Fen Shen, Amir Haddad, I-Wen Song, Liying Chen, Yu‐Ju Chen, Jer‐Yuarn Wu, J. J. Yen, Yuan-Tsong Chen

cyclic alopecia epidermal cornification Zdhhc13-deficient mice palmitoylation DHHC13 hair differentiation skin differentiation hair anchoring skin barrier function hyperkeratosis cornifelin hair loss skin thickening skin barrier

Studysummary This study found that DHHC13 is crucial for hair anchoring and skin barrier function, with its deficiency in Zdhhc13(skc4) mice leading to cyclic alopecia and skin abnormalities due to cornifelin deficiencies. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The study investigated the role of the palmitoylation enzyme DHHC13 in hair and skin differentiation using Zdhhc13-deficient mice. These mice exhibited cyclic alopecia, poor hair anchoring, and abnormal epidermal cornification, leading to impaired skin barrier function and hyperkeratosis. The absence of cornifelin, a substrate of DHHC13, in the hair and skin of these mice suggested its crucial role in maintaining hair and skin integrity. The findings highlighted the importance of DHHC13-mediated palmitoylation in normal hair and skin structures, with cornifelin being a key component.

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