The Role of the Vitamin D Receptor in the Epidermal Stem Cell Response to Wounding

The review discusses the critical role of the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) in the epidermal stem cell (SC) response to skin wounding. VDR, through its ligand 1,25(OH)2D, regulates genomic changes in SCs, enabling them to contribute to wound healing by altering their cell fate. The VDR's actions are modulated by coregulators like SRC 2, SRC 3, and the mediator complex (MED), and it often works in conjunction with other transcription factors such as p63 and β-catenin. Mice lacking VDR show impaired wound healing due to reduced SC activation and migration, and failure to form E-cadherin/catenin complexes necessary for re-epithelialization. The findings underscore the importance of VDR in maintaining skin integrity and facilitating effective wound healing, distinct from its traditional role in calcium metabolism. Further research is needed to fully understand its mechanisms.