Role of Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase-1 in Skin Integrity and Whole Body Energy Balance

The document reviewed the role of Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase-1 (SCD1) in skin integrity and whole body energy balance. It highlighted that SCD1 was crucial for the synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids in the skin, essential for maintaining skin barrier function. Mice lacking SCD1, either globally or specifically in the skin, showed significant changes in skin lipids and integrity, along with increased whole body energy expenditure, and protection against diet-induced obesity, liver steatosis, and glucose intolerance. This unexpected link between skin lipid homeostasis and overall energy balance suggested that SCD1 played a broader role in metabolic regulation. Additionally, SCD1-deficient mice exhibited a lean, hypermetabolic phenotype, showing resistance to diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, and increased nonshivering thermogenesis. These mice also had significant skin abnormalities, including dry, flaky skin and severe alopecia due to sebocyte atrophy, highlighting SCD1's critical role in sebocyte development. The findings underscored the importance of SCD1 in lipid metabolism and its regulation by various factors, including glucose, fructose, fatty acids, and insulin.