Inducible Deletion of Epidermal Dicer and Drosha Reveals Multiple Functions for miRNAs in Postnatal Skin
March 2012
in “
Development
”
miRNAs Drosha Dicer anagen catagen hair follicle degradation stem cell loss DNA damage follicular matrix cells miR-205 matrix cell apoptosis interfollicular epidermal hyperproliferation microRNAs hair growth phase hair regression phase hair follicle damage stem cell depletion genetic damage hair follicle cells cell death skin cell overgrowth
TLDR Drosha and Dicer are essential for hair follicle health and preventing DNA damage in skin cells.
The study investigated the roles of miRNAs in postnatal skin by deleting the miRNA biogenesis enzymes Drosha and Dicer in mouse skin epithelial cells. Deletion during the growth phase (anagen) led to failure in transitioning to the regression phase (catagen), resulting in hair follicle degradation and stem cell loss, while deletion during the resting phase did not affect follicular structure or stem cell maintenance. The study concluded that Drosha and Dicer are crucial for suppressing DNA damage in proliferating follicular matrix cells, facilitating catagen, and maintaining follicular structures and stem cells. Additionally, Dicer deletion led to the upregulation of targets of the miRNA miR-205, indicating their role in preventing matrix cell apoptosis and interfollicular epidermal hyperproliferation.
