Synonyms
Historical Background
Keratinocytes undergo progressive terminal differentiation to form a stratified squamous epithelium. During the process of keratinization, certain numbers of genes are expressed in suprabasal layer which include a class of genes whose products are cross-linked through action of transglutamase reaction, thus helping in the formation of upper cornified strata. Of the number of proteins said to play a significant role as precursor in the formation of this strata, involucrin (IVL) is one (Eckert et al. 1993). The term “involucrin” is derived from Latin word “involucrum” meaning envelope and was first observed in 1979 in crude extracts of cultured keratinocyctes (Rice and Green 1979). Studies have suggested IVL to assume a rod like shape having glutamate and glutamine residues which promote and serve as major glutamyl donors in transglutaminase catalyzed cross-linking reactions (Eckert et al. 1993).
Gene Transcription and Structure
IVL gene is...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Alvarez-Salas LM, Benitez Hess ML, Dipaola JA. YY-1 and c-Jun transcription factors participate in the repression of the human involucrin promoter. Int J Oncol. 2005;26(1):259–66. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.26.1.259.
Azuara Liceaga E, Sandoval M, Corona M, Gariglio P, Lopez-Bayghen E. The human involucrin gene is transcriptionally repressed through a tissue-specific silencer element recognized by Oct-2. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2004;318(2):361–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.04.034.
Banks EB, Crish JF, Welter JF, Eckert RL. Characterization of human involucrin promoter distal regulatory region transcriptional activator elements – a role for Sp1 and AP1 binding sites. Biochem J. 1998;331(Pt 1):61–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0923-1811(98)83788-2.
Banks Schlegel S, Green H. Involucrin synthesis and tissue assembly by keratinocytes in natural and cultured human epithelia. J Cell Biol. 1981;90(3):732–7. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.90.3.732.
Carroll JM, Taichman LB. Characterization of the human involucrin promoter using a transient beta-galactosidase assay. J Cell Sci. 1992;103(pt4):925–30.
Crish JF, Howard JM, Zaim TM, Murthy S, Eckert RL. Tissue-specific and differentiation-appropriate expression of the human involucrin gene in transgenic mice: an abnormal epidermal phenotype. Differentiation. 1993;53(3):191–200. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1432-0436.1993.tb00708.x.
Crish JF, Gopalakrishnan R, Bone F, Gilliam AC, Eckert RL.The distal and proximal regulatory regions of the involucrin gene promoter have distinct functions and are required for in vivo involucrin expression. J Invest Dermatol. 2006;126(2):305–14. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jid.5700019.
Eckert RL, Rorke EA. Molecular biology of keratinocyte differentiation. Environ Health Perspect. 1989;80:109–16. https://doi.org/10.2307/3430736.
Eckert RL, Yaffe MB, Crish JF, Murthy S, Rorke EA, Welter JF. Involucrin – structure and role in envelope assembly. J Invest Dermatol. 1993;100(5):613–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/1523-1747.ep12472288.
Eisenberg E, Murphy GF, Krutchkoff DJ. Involucrin as a diagnostic marker in oral lichenoid lesions. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1987;64(3):313–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-4220(87)90011-9.
Ishida Yamamoto A, Iizuka H. Differences in involucrin immunolabeling within cornified cell envelopes in normal and psoriatic epidermis. J Invest Dermatol. 1995;104(3):391–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/1523-1747.ep12665870.
Itioz ME, Conti CJ, Gimenez IB, Lanfranchi HE, Fernandez-Alonso GI, Klein-Szanto AJ. Immunodetection of involucrin in lesions of the oral mucosa. J Oral Pathol. 1986;15(4):205–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0714.1986.tb00608.x.
Kanitakis J, Zambruno G, Viac J, Thivolet J. Involucrin expression in keratinization disorders of the skin – a preliminary study. Br J Dermatol. 1987;117(4):479–86. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.1987.tb04928.x.
Kassar S, Charfeddine C, Zribi H, Tounsi-Kettiti H, Bchetnia M, Jerbi E, Cassio D, Mokni M, Abdelhak S, Ben Osman A, Boubaker S. Immunohistological study of involucrin expression in Darier's disease skin. J Cutan Pathol. 2008;35(7):635–40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0560.2007.00880.x.
Lopez-Bayghen E, Vega A, Cadena A, Granados SE, Jave LF, Gariglio P, Alvares-Salas LM. Transcriptional analysis of the 5′-noncoding region of the human involucrin gene. J Biol Chem. 1996;271(1):512–20. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.271.1.512.
Murphy GF, Flynn TC, Rice RH, Pinkus GS. Involucrin expression in normal and neoplastic human skin: a marker for keratinocyte differentiation. J Invest Dermatol. 1984;82(5):453–7.
Presland RB, Dale BA. Epithelial structural proteins of the skin and oral cavity: function in health and disease. Crit Rev Oral Biol Med. 2000;11(4):383–408. https://doi.org/10.1177/10454411000110040101.
Rice RH, Green H. Presence in human epidermal cells of a soluble protein precursor of the cross-linked envelope: activation of the cross-linking by calcium ions. Cell. 1979;18(3):681–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/0092-8674(79)90123-5.
Rorke EA, Eckert RL. Stable expression of transfected human involucrin gene in various cell types: evidence for in situ cross-linking by type I and type II transglutaminase. J Invest Dermatol. 1991;97(3):543–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/1523-1747.ep12481579.
Said JW, Sassoon AF, Shintaku IP, Banks-Schlegel S. Involucrin in squamous and basal cell carcinomas of the skin: an immunohistochemical study. J Invest Dermatol. 1984;82(5):449–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/1523-1747.ep12260937.
Sassoon AF, Said JW, Nash G, Shintaku P, Banks-Schlegel S. Involucrin in intraepithelial and invasive squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix: an immunohistochemical study. Hum Pathol. 1985;16(5):467–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0046-8177(85)80084-8.
Sumitomo S, Kumasa S, Iwai Y, Mori M. Expression of involucrin in human salivary gland lesions and tumors. Acta Histochem Cytochem. 1986;19(5):581–7. https://doi.org/10.1267/ahc.19.581.
Tseng H, Green H. Remodeling of the involucrin gene during primate evolution. Cell. 1988;54(4):491–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/0092-8674(88)90070-0.
Yaffe MB, Beegen H, Eckert RL. Biophysical characterization of involucrin reveals a molecule ideally suited to function as an intermolecular cross-bridge of the keratinocyte cornified envelope. J Biol Chem. 1992;267(17):12233–8.
Yamada K, Tatemoto Y, Okada Y, Mori M. Immunostaining of involucrin in odontogenic epithelial tumors and cysts. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1989;67(5):564–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-4220(89)90273-9.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Swain, N., Hosalkar, R.M., Routray, S. (2018). Involucrin. In: Choi, S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Signaling Molecules. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67199-4_102003
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67199-4_102003
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-67198-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-67199-4
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences