The Role of P-Cadherin in Skin Biology and Pathology: Lessons from the Hair Follicle
February 2015
in “
Cell & tissue research/Cell and tissue research
”
TLDR P-cadherin is important for hair growth and health, and its problems can cause hair and skin disorders.
The document reviews the role of P-cadherin in skin and hair biology, emphasizing its importance in hair follicle development, hair growth, cycling, and pigmentation. P-cadherin, encoded by the CDH3 gene, is linked to two genetic disorders, Hypotrichosis with Juvenile Macular Dystrophy (HJMD) and Ectodermal Dysplasia, Ectrodactyly, and Macular Dystrophy (EEM), both involving sparse hair and macular dystrophy, with EEM also presenting ectodermal and limb defects. The review notes that P-cadherin is essential for the anagen-catagen transformation in hair cycling and that its dysfunction can lead to hair growth and pigmentation issues. It also discusses the role of P-cadherin in the ß-catenin/Wnt signaling pathway, which is crucial for hair growth and pigmentation, as evidenced by a study using P-cadherin knock-down in human hair follicles in vitro. Additionally, the document reports that P-cadherin-mediated signaling pathways are implicated in other cellular processes and diseases, including cancer, as shown by its overexpression in dysplastic and malignant oral keratinocytes.
