During development, multipotent stem cells establish tissue-specific programmes of gene expression that underlie a process of differentiation into specialized cell types. It was shown in the study that changes in the nuclear architecture during terminal keratinocyte differentiation show correlation with the dynamics of the transcriptional and metabolic activity. In particular, terminal differentiation is accompanied by the decrease of nuclear volume, elongation of its shape, reduction of the number and fusion of nucleoli, increase in the number of centromeric clusters and a dramatic decrease of the transcriptional activity. Global changes in the nuclear architecture of epidermal keratinocytes are associated with marked remodelling of the higher-order chromatin structure of the epidermal differentiating complex (EDC). EDC is positioned peripherally in the epidermal nuclei at E11.5 when its genes show low expression levels and relocates towards the nuclear interior at E16.5 when EDC genes are markedly upregulated. P63 transcription factor serving as a master regulator of epidermal development is involved in the control of EDC relocation in epidermal progenitor cells. The epidermis of E16.5 p63KO exhibits significantly more peripheral positioning of the EDC loci, compared to wild-type. The genome organizer Satb1 serving as a direct p63 target controls higher order chromatin folding of the central part of EDC and Satb1 knockout mice show alterations of epidermal development and expression of the EDC encoded genes. Thus, this study shows that the programme of epidermal development and terminal differentiation is regulated by p63 and other factors and include marked remodelling of three-dimensional nuclear organization and positioning of tissue specific gene loci. In addition to the direct involvement of p63 in controlling the expression of tissue-specific genes, p63 via regulation of the chromatin remodelling factors such as Satb1 promotes establishing specific conformation of the EDC locus required for efficient expression of terminal differentiation-associated genes.

Previous studies have shown that fish release alarming substances into the water to alert their kin to escape from danger. In our laboratory, we found that zebrafish produce trypsin and release it from their gills into the environment when they are under stress. By placing the zebrafish larvae in the middle of a small tank and then placing trypsin at one end of the tank, we observed that the larvae moved away from the trypsin zone and almost to the opposite end of the tank. This escape response was significant and did not occur in response to the control substances, bovine serum albumin (BSA), Russell's viper venom (RVV), and collagen. Also, previously, we had shown that the trypsin could act via a protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) on the surface of the cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that trypsin would induce a change in neuronal activity in the brain via PAR2-mediated signaling in cells on the surface of the fish body. To investigate whether the trypsin-responsive cells were surface cells, we generated a primary cell culture of zebrafish keratinocytes, confirmed these cells' identity by specific marker expression, and then incubated these cells with the calcium indicator Fluo-4 and exposed them to trypsin. By using calcium flux assay in a flow-cytometer, we found that trypsin-treated keratinocytes showed an increase in intracellular calcium release. To test whether PAR2 mediates the escape response to trypsin, we treated larvae with a PAR2 antagonist and showed that the trypsin-initiated escape response was abrogated. Furthermore, par2a mutants with knockdown of par2a by the piggyback knockdown method failed to respond to trypsin. Trypsin treatment of adult fish led to an approximately 2-fold increase in brain c-fos mRNA levels 45 mins after trypsin treatment, suggesting that trypsin signals may have reached the brain, probably via a spinothalamic pathway. Taken together, our results reveal a novel trypsin-initiated escape response in fish. These studies should enhance our understanding of fish communication in general and alarm behavior in particular. Furthermore, since pain receptors in other animals are also PAR2, our finding may be useful in exploring pathways of pain reception.

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No / We have previously shown that the ubiquitously expressed lysosomal cysteine protease, cathepsin L (CTSL), is essential for skin and hair follicle homeostasis. Here we examine the effect of CTSL deficiency on hair follicle development and cycling in ctsl-/- mice by light and electron microscopy, Ki67/terminal dUTP nick-end labeling, and trichohyalin immunofluorescence. Hair follicle morphogenesis in ctsl-/- mice was associated with several abnormalities. Defective terminal differentiation of keratinocytes occurred during the formation of the hair canal, resulting in disruption of hair shaft outgrowth. Both proliferation and apoptosis levels in keratinocytes and melanocytes were higher in ctsl-/- than in ctsl+/+ hair follicles. The development of the hair follicle pigmentary unit was disrupted by vacuolation of differentiating melanocytes. Hair cycling was also abnormal in ctsl-/- mice. Final stages of hair follicle morphogenesis and the induction of hair follicle cycling were retarded. Thereafter, these follicles exhibited a truncated resting phase (telogen) and a premature entry into the first growth phase. Further abnormalities of telogen development included the defective anchoring of club hairs in the skin, which resulted in their abnormal shedding. Melanocyte vacuolation was again apparent during the hair cycle-associated reconstruction of the hair pigmentary unit. A hallmark of these ctsl-/- mice was the severe disruption in the exiting of hair shafts to the skin surface. This was mostly because of a failure of the inner root sheath (keratinocyte layer next to the hair shaft) to fully desquamate. These changes resulted in a massive dilation of the hair canal and the abnormal routing of sebaceous gland products to the skin surface. In summary, this study suggests novel roles for cathepsin proteases in skin, hair, and pigment biology. Principal target tissues that may contain protein substrate(s) for this cysteine protease include the developing hair cone, inner root sheath, anchoring apparatus of the telogen club, and organelles of lysosomal origin (eg, melanosomes).

No / The nucleus is a complex and highly compartmentalized organelle, which undergoes major organization changes during cell differentiation, allowing cells to become specialized and fulfill their functions. During terminal differentiation of the epidermal keratinocytes, the nucleus undergoes a programmed transformation from active status, associated with execution of the genetic programs of cornification and epidermal barrier formation, to a fully inactive condition and becomes a part of the keratinized cells of the cornified layer. Tremendous progress achieved within the past two decades in understanding the biology of the nucleus and epigenetic mechanisms controlling gene expression allowed defining several levels in the regulation of cell differentiation–associated gene expression programs, including an accessibility of the gene regulatory regions to DNA–protein interactions, covalent DNA and histone modifications, and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling, as well as higher-order chromatin remodeling and nuclear compartmentalization of the genes and transcription machinery. Here, we integrate our current knowledge of the mechanisms controlling gene expression during terminal keratinocyte differentiation with distinct levels of chromatin organization and remodeling. We also propose directions to further explore the role of epigenetic mechanisms and their interactions with other regulatory systems in the control of keratinocyte differentiation in normal and diseased skin.

No / Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are widely used in cosmetics and sunscreens. Human epidermal keratinocytes may serve as the first portal of entry for these nanoparticles either directly through topically applied cosmetics or indirectly through any breaches in the skin integrity. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess the biological interactions of ZnO nanoparticles in primary human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK) as they are the most abundant cell type in the human epidermis. Cellular uptake of nanoparticles was investigated by scanning electron microscopy using back scattered electrons imaging as well as transmission electron microscopy. The electron microscopy revealed the internalization of ZnO nanoparticles in primary HEK after 6 h exposure at 14 microg/ml concentration. ZnO nanoparticles exhibited a time (6-24 h) as well as concentration (8-20 microg/ml) dependent inhibition of mitochondrial activity as evident by the MTT assay. A significant (p < 0.05) induction in DNA damage was observed in cells exposed to ZnO nanoparticles for 6 h at 8 and 14 microg/ml concentrations compared to control as evident in the Comet assay. This is the first study providing information on biological interactions of ZnO nanoparticles with primary human epidermal keratinocytes. Our findings demonstrate that ZnO nanoparticles are internalized by the human epidermal keratinocytes and elicit a cytotoxic and genotoxic response. Therefore, caution should be taken while using consumer products containing nanoparticles as any perturbation in the skin barrier could expose the underlying cells to nanoparticles.

No / Degradation of nuclear DNA is a hallmark of programmed cell death. Epidermal keratinocytes die in the course of cornification to function as the dead building blocks of the cornified layer of the epidermis, nails, and hair. Here, we investigated the mechanism and physiological function of DNA degradation during cornification in vivo. Targeted deletion of the keratinocyte-specific endonuclease DNase1-like 2 (DNase1L2) in the mouse resulted in the aberrant retention of DNA in hair and nails, as well as in epithelia of the tongue and the esophagus. In contrast to our previous studies in human keratinocytes, ablation of DNase1L2 did not compromise the cornified layer of the epidermis. Quantitative PCRs showed that the amount of nuclear DNA was dramatically increased in both hair and nails, and that mitochondrial DNA was increased in the nails of DNase1L2-deficient mice. The presence of nuclear DNA disturbed the normal arrangement of structural proteins in hair corneocytes and caused a significant decrease in the resistance of hair to mechanical stress. These data identify DNase1L2 as an essential and specific regulator of programmed cell death in skin appendages, and demonstrate that the breakdown of nuclear DNA is crucial for establishing the full mechanical stability of hair.

No / The use of nanoparticles have provided numerous of advantages in medicine due to their unique physiochemical characteristics such as size, charge, shape and surface reactivity [1-4]. Understanding the interaction between engineered nanomaterials and living matter has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Toxicity of nanoparticles was studied in different cell types and cell lines. Nano-SiO2 has good stability, easy dispensability, and melting degeneration, and is widely used in rubber, paints, biomedical and biotechnology fields [5]. In this study, the LDH assay and the MTT assay were applied to evaluate the cytotoxicity of in vitro Silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2-NP, 20nm) on cultured cell lines. Human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line (A549) were used as a lung related cell line and human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) as a skin related cell line representing different uptake routes. The percentage cytotoxicity of the silicon dioxide nanoparticles was measured once cultured in a 24 hour incubation period. The concentration of the SiO2 nanoparticles chosen was 10, 50, 100 and 200µg/ml. To measure the cytotoxicity of nanoparticle on cultured cell lines, we used 104*cells/100 µl of cell culture media being placed in a 96 well rounded bottom plate with the LDH assay. The extracellular lactate dehydrogenase release was measured by using a colorimetric CytoTox 96 non-radioactive assay kit and the absorbance was recorded at 492nm. The MTT assay was used to evaluate mitochondrial activity which includes cell growth and cell death. This has been performed by inserting a premixed optimized dye solution in the culture wells. The Absorbance was recorded at 570 nm, from the recorded absorbance is directly proportional to the number of live cells. In order to maintain the cell lines, they were placed in a plastic T-75cm² tissue culture flasks grown in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium. Studies were performed in the absence of serum. Cytotoxicity was found in both cells the A549 and HaCaT cells and cytotoxicity increased as concentration of the silicon dioxide increased. The percentage cytotoxicity calculated was higher in HaCaT cells compared to the A549 cells. A cell count assay was plated in order to display the cell number of both the HaCaT and A549 cells. The cell count reaffirmed that cytotoxicity did occur as the cell count decreased as the concentration of the silicon dioxide increased compared to the control. These results show that silicon dioxide nanoparticles acted differently in two different cell types and that the metabolic rate of a cell can be used to determine the nanoparticles affect. Further understanding of the mechanism involving the ROS generation could provide more information on how silicon dioxide nanoparticles increase cytotoxicity. / Physiology 2015 conference abstract

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