Significance of Stress Keratin Expression in Normal and Diseased Epithelia

January 2024 in “ iScience ”

Erez Cohen, Craig Johnson, Rachael Wasikowski, Allison C. Billi, Lam C. Tsoi, J. Michelle Kahlenberg, Jóhann E. Guðjónsson, Pierre A. Coulombe

keratinocytes type II KRT6A type II KRT6B type II KRT6C type I KRT16 type I KRT17 keratins skin disorders carcinomas single-cell transcriptomic data differentiation inflammation innate immunity skin cells skin diseases cancer gene expression data cell differentiation immune response

Studysummary The researchers reported that stress-induced keratins in human skin are expressed at lower levels than those in healthy skin and are co-regulated with genes involved in differentiation, inflammation, and immunity, rather than replacing keratins of normal differentiation or indicating cell proliferation.

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The study examines the expression of stress-responsive keratin genes (KRT6A-C, KRT16, and KRT17) in normal and diseased skin, particularly in conditions like psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa, using single-cell transcriptomic data. It finds that stress keratins are linked to hyperproliferation and alternative differentiation pathways in diseased skin, but they do not replace normal differentiation keratins. Stress keratins are co-regulated with genes involved in differentiation, inflammation, and innate immunity, highlighting their distinct roles in skin diseases. The research identifies specific gene networks associated with individual stress keratins, impacting cellular and tissue-level responses differently. Despite limitations such as potential biases in cell representation and the need for protein-level validation, the study provides insights into the regulation and pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory skin diseases.

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Research cited in this study

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