Constitutive Stat3 Activation Alters Behavior of Hair Follicle Stem and Progenitor Cell Populations

September 2013 in “ Molecular Carcinogenesis ”

Dharanija Rao, Everardo Macías, Steve Carbajal, Kaoru Kiguchi, John DiGiovanni

Stat3 keratinocyte hair follicle stem cells CD34 α6 integrin Lgr-6 Lrig-1 Sca-1 c-myc β-catenin EMT α6-integrin

Studysummary This study found that constitutively active Stat3 in transgenic mice led to reduced keratinocyte stem cell populations in hair follicles, altering stem/progenitor cell dynamics and homeostasis.

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The study investigated the effects of constitutive Stat3 activation on keratinocyte behavior, particularly focusing on keratinocyte stem cells (KSCs) in vivo. Using BK5.Stat3C transgenic mice, which express an active form of Stat3 in the epidermis and bulge region KSCs, researchers observed a significant reduction in CD34+/α6 integrin+ cells compared to non-transgenic mice. This was accompanied by an increase in Lgr-6, Lrig-1, and Sca-1 populations, and changes in gene expression related to c-myc, β-catenin, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). The study concluded that elevated Stat3 activity led to the depletion of hair follicle KSCs and an increase in stem/progenitor cells above the bulge region, highlighting Stat3's role in keratinocyte stem/progenitor cell homeostasis.

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Research cited in this study

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