Suprabasal Desmoglein 3 Expression in the Epidermis of Transgenic Mice Results in Hyperproliferation and Abnormal Differentiation

The study investigated the effects of overexpressing human desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) in the suprabasal epidermis of transgenic mice, which led to skin flaking, epidermal pustules, hair thinning, and various histological abnormalities such as acanthosis, hypergranulosis, hyperkeratosis, localized parakeratosis, and abnormal hair follicles. These changes indicated hyperproliferation and abnormal differentiation of the epidermis, resembling features of human ichthyosiform diseases. The findings suggested that Dsg3 played a significant role in regulating epidermal differentiation, contrasting with previous results where Dsg3 was expressed under a different promoter.