Cbx4 maintains the epithelial lineage identity and cell proliferation in the developing stratified epithelium.

ABSTRACT: During development, multipotent progenitor cells establish lineage-specific programmers of gene activation and silencing underlying their differentiation into specialized cell types. We show that the Polycomb component Cbx4 serves as a critical determinant that maintains the epithelial identity in the developing epidermis by repressing nonepidermal gene expression programs. Cbx4 ablation in mice results in a marked decrease of the epidermal thickness and keratinocyte (KC) proliferation associated with activation of numerous neuronal genes and genes encoding cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (p16/p19 and p57). Furthermore, the chromodomain- and SUMO E3 ligase-dependent Cbx4 activities differentially regulate proliferation, differentiation, and expression of nonepidermal genes in KCs. Final

SUBMITTER: Mardaryev AN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4700479 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature