A Novel Serine Protease Overexpressed in the Hair Follicles of Nude Mice

The study identified a novel serine protease, BSSP, which was overexpressed in the skin of nude mice compared to normal mice. BSSP was predominantly expressed in the sebaceous gland of the hair follicle and the distal part of the outer root sheath, marking it as the first serine protease known to be expressed in the sebaceous gland. The research utilized representational difference analysis to clone the cDNA encoding BSSP, contributing to the understanding of gene expression differences in hair follicle structures between normal and nude mice.