Keratinocytes of the Upper Epidermis and Isthmus of Hair Follicles Express Hemoglobin mRNA and Protein
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.
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