TLDR Basal cell carcinomas may differentiate similarly to hair follicles and could be influenced by hair cycle-related treatments.
The study investigated the differentiation patterns of human basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and their resemblance to hair follicle (HF) lineages, aiming to identify therapeutic targets that could promote BCC differentiation and exhaust cancer stem cells. Researchers used an alkaline phosphatase substrate kit to identify dermal papilla cells within BCC stroma and analyzed a set of 2289 genes to determine gene expression related to the autonomous HF cycle. They found that keratin expression in BCCs was regulated similarly to that in HFs, despite the absence of dermal papilla cells. Cross-species microarray analysis showed a 74% concordance with telogen differentiation, which was significantly higher than with anagen (23%) or catagen (49%) phases. BCCs exhibited incomplete anagen differentiation, with reduced expression of the anagen master regulator DLX3 and increased expression of telogen-associated genes. The addition of TGF-β2 in vitro enhanced anagen differentiation in BCC cells. These results suggest that BCC cells differentiate along HF lineages and could be influenced by external HF cycle modulators.
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