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The study revealed that delta opioid receptors (DOR) played a crucial role in regulating cutaneous mechanosensation, including touch, by inhibiting synaptic input to the spinal dorsal horn through blocking voltage-gated calcium channels. DOR was primarily expressed in large-diameter, myelinated mechanoreceptors, challenging previous beliefs about its expression in small-diameter neurons. The research used a DORGFP knockin mouse model to map DOR distribution and found that DOR agonists like deltorphin II significantly reduced neurotransmitter release, suggesting a potential target for treating injury-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. The study highlighted the distinct roles of DOR and mu opioid receptors (MOR) in somatosensory processing, with DOR affecting mechanoreceptors involved in touch sensation and MOR associated with nociceptive pathways. These findings provided insights into the molecular mechanisms by which opioids could modulate touch and pain sensations.

Cutaneous gene therapy research, conducted over more than 20 years, explored both direct and indirect gene transfer methods using viral and nonviral vectors to treat inherited skin diseases and potentially systemic disorders. Despite reaching clinical phases, challenges such as gene expression loss and immune reactions persisted. The study highlighted the potential of epidermal and hair follicle stem cells in skin regeneration and gene therapy, with telomerase influencing hair growth and cell proliferation. Clinical trials, such as those for junctional epidermolysis bullosa, showed potential for long-term expression and phenotypic correction. The research also explored hair follicle gene therapy, noting that adenoviral-mediated expression of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) could enhance hair growth, suggesting potential benefits for alopecia treatment. The document concluded that advancements in vector development and gene expression control could make cutaneous gene therapy a viable option for various diseases.

The study investigated the expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and keratins in early papillomas in SENCAR mice to identify markers for early stages of skin tumorigenesis. Tumors were induced using 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene and promoted with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. In early papillomas, keratin 1 (K1) showed patchy staining, while keratin 10 (K10) was minimally expressed, indicating altered differentiation patterns. ODC expression was intense and diffuse in suprabasal cells of papillomas, correlating with decreased K1 and K10 expression. These findings suggested that high ODC expression and reduced K1 and K10 could serve as phenotypic markers for early tumorigenesis in mouse skin.