PTEN Mediates Activation of Core Clock Protein BMAL1 and Accumulation of Epidermal Stem Cells

June 2017 in “ Stem cell reports ”

Chiara Zagni, Luciana O. Almeida, Tarek Balan, Marco Antônio Trevizani Martins, Luciana K. Rosselli‐Murai, Pétros Papagerakis, Rogerio M. Castilho, Cristiane H. Squarize

PTEN BMAL1 epidermal stem cells hair follicle stem cells HFSCs hair cycle phases skin homeostasis skin repair stem cell niche benign skin lesions epidermal homeostasis tissue regeneration therapies

TLDR PTEN helps control the number and health of skin stem cells by working with the protein BMAL1.

The study investigated the role of PTEN in regulating the core clock protein BMAL1 and its impact on the accumulation of epidermal stem cells. PTEN was found to mediate the activation of BMAL1, promoting the accumulation of epidermal stem cells, which are essential for skin homeostasis and repair. PTEN deficiency led to an enlarged stem cell niche, increased HFSCs, prolonged hair cycle phases, and benign skin lesions, partly mediated by BMAL1. The findings highlighted PTEN's critical role in HFSC function, epidermal homeostasis, and potential therapeutic targets for skin-related disorders and tissue regeneration therapies.

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