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Analysis of the expression pattern of involucrin in human scalp skin and hair follicles: hair cycle-associated alterations

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Abstract

Involucrin is a structural component of the keratinocyte cornified envelope that is expressed early in the keratinocyte differentiation process. It is a component of the initial envelope scaffolding and considered as a marker for keratinocyte terminal differentiation. The expression pattern of involucrin in human scalp skin and hair follicle cycle stages is not fully explored. This study addresses this issue and tests the hypothesis that “the expression of involucrin undergoes hair follicle cycle-dependent changes”. A total of 50 normal human scalp skin biopsies were examined (healthy females, 51–62 years) using immunofluorescence staining methods and real-time PCR analysis. In each case, 50 hair follicles were analyzed (35, 10 and 5 follicles in anagen, catagen and telogen, respectively). Involucrin was prominently expressed in the human scalp skin and hair follicles, on both gene and protein levels. The protein expression showed hair follicle cycle-associated changes i.e. a very strong expression during early and mature anagen, intermediate to strong expression during catagen and prominent decline in the telogen phase. The expression value of involucrin in both anagen and catagen was statistically significantly higher than that of telogen hair follicles (p < 0.001). This study provides the first morphologic indication that involucrin is differentially expressed in the human scalp skin and hair follicles and reports that involucrin expression pattern undergoes hair cycle-dependent changes. The clinical ramifications of these findings are open for further investigations.

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Abbreviations

ABC:

Avidin–bioltin complex

AWS:

Average weighted score

ClH:

Club hair

CTS:

Connective tissue sheath

DP:

Dermal papilla

HCo:

Hair cortex

HF:

Hair follicles

HMC:

Hair matrix cells

HMe:

Hair medulla

HS:

Hair shaft

INF:

Infundibulum

IR:

Immunoreactivity

IRS:

Inner root sheath

IR-score:

Immunoreactivity score

ISTH:

Isthmus

ORS:

Outer root sheath

SG:

Sebaceous gland

TSA:

Tyramide signal amplification

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Acknowledgments

The kind help of Dr. M. R. Hussein for his kind help in the confirmation of the semiquantitative data is greatly acknowledged. This work was supported by Sohag University, Egypt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, Sohâg, Egypt

    Mohamed A. Adly

  2. Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohâg, Egypt

    Hanan A. Assaf

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  1. Mohamed A. Adly
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  2. Hanan A. Assaf
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Correspondence to Mohamed A. Adly.

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Adly, M.A., Assaf, H.A. Analysis of the expression pattern of involucrin in human scalp skin and hair follicles: hair cycle-associated alterations. Histochem Cell Biol 138, 683–692 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-012-0986-4

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