Keratinocytes of the Upper Epidermis and Isthmus of Hair Follicles Express Hemoglobin mRNA and Protein
November 2023
in “
The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology
”
keratinocytes upper epidermis isthmus of hair follicles hemoglobin mRNA hemoglobin protein Hemoglobin Alpha HBA oxidative stress UV irradiation human epidermal keratinocytes skin barrier function immunofluorescence staining RNA isolation RT-qPCR analysis microarray analysis single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis RNA interference cellular ROS staining skin cells hair follicle region hemoglobin UV light exposure skin protection fluorescent staining RNA extraction quantitative PCR gene expression analysis single-cell RNA sequencing gene silencing reactive oxygen species staining
TLDR Skin cells and certain hair follicle areas produce hemoglobin, which may help protect against oxidative stress like UV damage.
The study found that Hemoglobin Alpha (HBA) is expressed in the upper epidermis and isthmus of hair follicles in both humans and mice. This expression is more prominent in the isthmus than in the interfollicular epidermis. HBA expression is not observed in noncutaneous keratinized stratified squamous epithelia of mice. The study also discovered that HBA expression is upregulated by oxidative stress, specifically UV irradiation, in human epidermal keratinocytes, suggesting that HBA acts as an antioxidant and contributes to skin barrier function. The study used various methods including immunofluorescence staining, cell culture, statistical analysis, RNA isolation and RT-qPCR analysis, microarray analysis, single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis, UV irradiation, hydrogen peroxide treatment, RNA interference, and cellular ROS staining.
