ZFP42 maintains stemness and rhythmic transcription in human epidermal stem and progenitor cells via CRY1.

ABSTRACT: The role of circadian rhythm in regulating stemness in adult stem cells remains unclear. We investigated this in human epidermal stem and progenitor cells (EPSCs), finding that ~10% of expressed genes exhibit rhythmicity, with shared genes between fetal and adult EPSCs enriched in critical biological processes including the cell cycle, senescence, and apoptosis. Promoter motif analysis revealed ZFP42, a pluripotent stem cell marker, enriched in fetal rhythmic genes. ZFP42 knockdown led to the loss of stemness in human EPSCs and reduced expression of Cryptochrome Circadian Regulator 1 (CRY1), a core component of the molecular circadian clock that functions as a transcriptional repressor within the CLOCK-BMAL1 feedback loop, resulting in decreased cell proliferation and increased differentia

SUBMITTER: Gao S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12923524 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature