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The expression of differentiation markers in aquaporin-3 deficient epidermis

Archives of Dermatological Research volume 301, pages 245–252 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Aquaporin-3 (AQP3) is a water/glycerol transporting protein expressed strongly at the plasma membrane of keratinocytes. There is evidence for involvement of AQP3-facilitated water and glycerol transport in keratinocyte migration and proliferation, respectively. Here, we investigated the involvement of AQP3 in keratinocyte differentiation. Studies were done using AQP3 knockout mice, primary cultures of mouse keratinocytes (AQP3 knockout), neonatal human keratinocytes (AQP3 knockdown), and human skin. Cells were cultured with high Ca2+ or 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3) to induce differentiation. The expression of differentiation marker proteins and differentiating responses were comparable in control and AQP3-knockout or knockdown keratinocytes. Topical application of all-trans retinoic acid (RA), a known regulator of keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation, induced comparable expression of differentiation marker proteins in wildtype and AQP3 null epidermis, though with impaired RA-induced proliferation in AQP3 null mice. Immunostaining of human and mouse epidermis showed greater AQP3 expression in cells undergoing proliferation than differentiation. Our results showed little influence of AQP3 on keratinocyte differentiation, and provide further support for the proposed involvement of AQP3-facilitated cell proliferation.

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Abbreviations

AQP:

Aquaporin

RA:

All-trans retinoic acid

VD3 :

1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3

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Acknowledgments

We thank Maiko Yusa for mouse breeding. This work was supported in part by grant R37 DK35124 from the National Institutes of Health to ASV.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54, Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan

    Mariko Hara-Chikuma, Kenzo Takahashi & Yoshiki Miyachi

  2. Department of Immunology and Genomic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto university, Kyoto, Japan

    Shunsuke Chikuma

  3. Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, USA

    A. S. Verkman

Authors
  1. Mariko Hara-Chikuma
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  2. Kenzo Takahashi
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  3. Shunsuke Chikuma
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  4. A. S. Verkman
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  5. Yoshiki Miyachi
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Correspondence to Mariko Hara-Chikuma.

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Hara-Chikuma, M., Takahashi, K., Chikuma, S. et al. The expression of differentiation markers in aquaporin-3 deficient epidermis. Arch Dermatol Res 301, 245–252 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-009-0927-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-009-0927-9

Keywords

  • Water channel
  • Glycerol transport
  • Differentiation
  • Proliferation