Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Infection And Persistence Modeled In Skin Organoids

February 2025

Silvia Albertini, Manja Czech‐Sioli, Thomas Günther, Sanamjeet Virdi, Patrick Bluemke, Lisann Roepke, Veronika Brinschwitz, Maura Dandri, Lena Allweiss, Rudolph Reimer, Carola Schneider, Arne Hansen, Susanne Krasemann, Emanuel Wyler, Markus Landthaler, Adam Grundhoff, Nicole Fischer

Merkel cell polyomavirus MCPyV iPSC-derived skin organoid dermal fibroblasts papillary fibroblasts dermal sheath fibroblasts interferon-beta ruxolitinib quasi-latency innate immune response

Studysummary This study demonstrates that an iPSC-derived skin organoid model effectively supports Merkel cell polyomavirus infection, persistence, and immune evasion, providing a valuable platform for studying viral tumorigenesis and testing treatment strategies.

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Research cited in this study

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research Characterization of the Epidermal-Dermal Junction in hiPSC-Derived Skin Organoids

14 citations , May 2022 in “Stem cell reports”

This study reported that human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived skin organoids, used to model epidermolysis bullosa, have an epidermal-dermal junction largely lacking type VII collagen, which is important for skin structure.

research Generation And Characterization Of Hair-Bearing Skin Organoids From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

39 citations , March 2022 in “Nature Protocols”

This study describes a protocol for generating hair-bearing skin organoids from human pluripotent stem cells, achieving full complexity resembling fetal skin tissue by day 130 in vitro.

research Direct Cellular Reprogramming Enables Development of Viral T Antigen-Driven Merkel Cell Carcinoma in Mice

14 citations , February 2022 in “The Journal of clinical investigation/The journal of clinical investigation”

This study found that the development of Merkel cell carcinoma from hair follicles in mice can be driven by in vivo reprogramming with ATOH1 and relies on p53 loss for progression.

research Single-Cell RNA Profiling of Human Skin Reveals Age-Related Loss of Dermal Sheath Cells and Their Contribution to a Juvenile Phenotype

37 citations , January 2022 in “Frontiers in Genetics”

This study found that dermal sheath stem cell characteristics are lost with aging in humans, affecting skin rejuvenation and structure, and identified specific proteins like Activin A influencing keratinocyte and fibroblast activity.

research Hair-Bearing Human Skin Generated Entirely From Pluripotent Stem Cells

425 citations , June 2020 in “Nature”

Scientists created human skin with hair from stem cells, which could help treat hair loss and skin conditions.

research Immune Modulation of Hair Follicle Regeneration

29 citations , May 2020 in “npj Regenerative Medicine”

This review discusses the role of the immune niche in hair follicle regeneration and its impact on different forms of alopecia, highlighting research gaps and potential therapeutic strategies.

research SFRP2/DPP4 and FMO1/LSP1 Define Major Fibroblast Populations in Human Skin

225 citations , April 2018 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Two main types of fibroblasts with unique functions and additional subtypes were identified in human skin.

research Spatial and Single-Cell Transcriptional Profiling Identifies Functionally Distinct Human Dermal Fibroblast Subpopulations

418 citations , January 2018 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

This study identified at least four distinct fibroblast populations in adult human skin, each with unique functional properties, suggesting potential therapeutic applications for wound healing and fibrosis-related diseases.

research Identifying the Target Cells and Mechanisms of Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Infection

133 citations , May 2016 in “Cell Host & Microbe”

In this study, human dermal fibroblasts were identified as natural host cells that support productive Merkel cell polyomavirus infection, and the MEK antagonist trametinib was introduced as an effective inhibitor to control the virus.