Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Stabilizes Hemidesmosomes in Keratinocytes
TLDR Wnt/β-catenin signaling is important for keeping skin cell attachment structures stable.
This study demonstrates that Wnt/β-catenin signaling is essential for the stability and organization of hemidesmosomes (HDs) in keratinocytes. Inhibition of Wnt signaling led to a significant reduction in HD components, such as plectin and type XVII collagen, both in vitro and in vivo, without affecting keratinocyte differentiation. Additionally, inhibition of atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) could mitigate the disarrangement caused by Wnt inhibition. These findings suggest that targeting the Wnt signaling pathway could be a potential therapeutic strategy for treating HD-defective diseases like epidermolysis bullosa.
