Gene expression analysis of skin from Merkel cell sufficient and deficient B6 mouse models of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE318349 | GEO | 2026/06/17
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Epithelial-neuronal signaling is essential for sensory encoding in touch, itch and nociception; however, little is known about the release mechanisms and neurotransmitter receptors through which skin cells govern neuronal excitability. Merkel cells are mechanosensory epidermal cells that have long been proposed to activate neuronal afferents through chemical synaptic transmission. We employed a set of classical criteria for chemical neurotransmission as framework to directly test this hypothesis. RNA sequencing of adult Merkel cells demonstrated that they express presynaptic molecules and biosynthetic machinery for adrenergic transmission. Moreover, live-cell imaging directly demonstrated that Merkel cells mediate activity- and VMAT-dependent release of fluorescent catecholamine neurotransmitter analogues. Touch-evoked firing in Merkel-cell afferents was inhibited either by pre-synaptic silencing of SNARE-mediated vesicle release from Merkel cells or by neuronal deletion of b2-adrenergic receptors. Together, these results identify both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms through which Merkel cells excite mechanosensory afferents to encode gentle touch.
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Project description:Merkel cells are epidermal mechanoreceptor cells responsible for the perception of gentle touch. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and highly aggressive skin cancer. Although MCC histologically resembles Merkel cells, the cell of origin for MCC is unknown. MCC frequently contains integrated Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), a small DNA tumor virus with widespread prevalence. Whether MCPyV can transform Merkel cells is unknown. Here, we describe the isolation and long-term expansion of human Merkel cells from neonatal foreskin. We validated the expression of several Merkel cell-related factors by RNASeq, and assessed the ultrastructure by electron microscopy. Culture of Merkel cell preparations on an artificial basement membrane promoted the formation of structures containing both Merkel and non-Merkel cell populations. To determine whether Merkel cells were susceptible to transformation, we expressed tumor-derived MCPyV T antigens and additional oncogenes. We were unable to demonstrate tumorigenesis in immunodeficient mice, but were able to detect T antigen expression from excised cells weeks after implantation. These results highlight that foreskin-isolated Merkel cells can be propagated extensively, sustain expression of MCPyV T antigens, but are not susceptible to transformation by MCPyV, suggesting that Merkel cells from non-glabrous skin may not be a cell of origin for MCC.
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Project description:We describe Merkel cell formation in glabrous skin during embryogenesis. In our study, we first found that Merkel cells were specified at E15.5, 24 hours later, comparing to the back skin. Interestingly, by performing lineage-tracing experiments, we found that unlike back skin, SOX9(+) cells do not give rise to Merkel cells in glabrous skin. We performed transcriptional profiling of Merkel cells of the back and glabrous skin and showed that their transcriptoms are very similar. Taken together, Merkel cells in back skin and glabrous skin are similar, and their formation is controlled by a common genetic program, although their precursor cells might differ.
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Project description:The skin, long considered as a passive barrier and target of external insults, could also function as a sentinel for internal pathology, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we identify a neuroimmune circuit linking liver injury to mechanically evoked itch (alloknesis) in the skin. The hepatokine Midkine (MDK) emerges as a critical circulating signal, elevated in liver injury, which activates skin-resident macrophages through LRP1, inducing NGF production and subsequent sensitization of cutaneous pruriceptors. Importantly, elevated serum Midkine levels in liver disease patients strongly correlated with alloknesis severity, highlighting the conserved liver-skin axis. These findings reveal an inter-organ communication pathway that transduces visceral stress into periphery sensory hyperactivity, establishing the skin as a reflective interface of internal organ dysfunction.
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Project description:Merkel cell carcinoma is supposed to be derived from Merkel cells after infection by Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) and other poorly known events. A transcriptional profiling with cDNA microarrays was performed on cells from MCV+ Merkel cell carcinomas and isolated normal Merkel cells. This microarray revealed numerous significantly upregulated genes and down-regulated genes. The extensive list of genes identified in these experiments provides a large body of potentially valuable information of Merkel cell carcinoma carcinogenesis and could represent a source of potential targets for cancer therapy. Two-conditions experiment, MCV vs Normal Merkel Cell. Biological replicates : 4 MCV (Cy5), 1 control = pool of Normal Merkel cells from 3 liftings
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Project description:Keratinocyte-derived interferon kappa (IFN-κ) is chronically overexpressed in human non-lesional systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) skin. Recent evidence suggests that epidermal signals instruct the immune system in SLE, but whether epidermal IFN-κ alone is sufficient to drive lupus phenotypes has not been investigated. Here, we show that mice that overexpress Ifnk in the epidermis under the keratin 14 promoter (Ifnk transgenic, TG) on a BALB/c background spontaneously develop cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE)-like lesions and systemic immune dysregulation. Lesions show facial predominance, lymphocytic infiltration, and a transcriptional signature reflective of human CLE. Ifnk TG mice exhibit increased immune cell activation and spontaneous signs of systemic autoimmunity with higher anti-dsDNA-antibodies, lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly, but lack signs of renal inflammation. UV exposure enhanced cutaneous inflammation and splenic T cell activation in Ifnk TG mice. Together, we describe a new CLE mouse model that recapitulates features of human CLE and substantiates the role of epidermal IFN-κ as a driver of CLE, photosensitivity and systemic inflammation.
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Project description:The autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus (lupus) is characterized in part by photosensitivity, where patients can develop inflammatory skin lesions with even ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Evidence points to a role for type I interferon (IFN-I) in photosensitivity, but mechanistic understanding remains limited. We have shown that photosensitivity in lupus models is at least in part attributable to Langerhans cell (LC) dysfunction. Healthy LCs limit photosensitivity via a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17), a sheddase that normally limits UVR-induced skin inflammation by releasing soluble epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands to support keratinocyte survival. On the other hand, LCs from lesional and even non-lesional lupus model skin show reduced ADAM17 activity and mRNA expression. Non-lesional human lupus skin also showed evidence of LC dysfunction, and, here, we asked how the lupus skin environment contributes to this dysfunction. We show that non-lesional skin in human CLE and multiple photosensitive lupus models share gene expression patterns consistent with a high IFN environment and LC dysfunction. IFN-I inhibits murine and human LC ADAM17 activity, and anti-IFNAR1 in lupus models restores LC ADAM17 function and reduces photosensitivity in EGFR and LC ADAM17-dependent manners. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a mediator of ADAM17 activity, and we show that lupus models have reduced UVR-induced LC ROS generation that is restored by anti-IFNAR1. Our findings suggest shared pathogenic mechanisms of photosensitivity in human and murine lupus skin and a model whereby the IFN-I-rich microenvironment in non-lesional lupus skin inhibits UVR-induced ADAM17 activity, predisposing to photosensitivity. Our data also suggest that the beneficial effects of the recently FDA-approved anifrolumab (anti-IFNAR1) on human lupus skin could act in part by restoring LC function.
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Project description:The autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus (lupus) is characterized in part by photosensitivity, where patients can develop inflammatory skin lesions with even ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Evidence points to a role for type I interferon (IFN-I) in photosensitivity, but mechanistic understanding remains limited. We have shown that photosensitivity in lupus models is at least in part attributable to Langerhans cell (LC) dysfunction. Healthy LCs limit photosensitivity via a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17), a sheddase that normally limits UVR-induced skin inflammation by releasing soluble epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands to support keratinocyte survival. On the other hand, LCs from lesional and even non-lesional lupus model skin show reduced ADAM17 activity and mRNA expression. Non-lesional human lupus skin also showed evidence of LC dysfunction, and, here, we asked how the lupus skin environment contributes to this dysfunction. We show that non-lesional skin in human CLE and multiple photosensitive lupus models share gene expression patterns consistent with a high IFN environment and LC dysfunction. IFN-I inhibits murine and human LC ADAM17 activity, and anti-IFNAR1 in lupus models restores LC ADAM17 function and reduces photosensitivity in EGFR and LC ADAM17-dependent manners. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a mediator of ADAM17 activity, and we show that lupus models have reduced UVR-induced LC ROS generation that is restored by anti-IFNAR1. Our findings suggest shared pathogenic mechanisms of photosensitivity in human and murine lupus skin and a model whereby the IFN-I-rich microenvironment in non-lesional lupus skin inhibits UVR-induced ADAM17 activity, predisposing to photosensitivity. Our data also suggest that the beneficial effects of the recently FDA-approved anifrolumab (anti-IFNAR1) on human lupus skin could act in part by restoring LC function.
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Project description:The autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus (lupus) is characterized in part by photosensitivity, where patients can develop inflammatory skin lesions with even ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Evidence points to a role for type I interferon (IFN-I) in photosensitivity, but mechanistic understanding remains limited. We have shown that photosensitivity in lupus models is at least in part attributable to Langerhans cell (LC) dysfunction. Healthy LCs limit photosensitivity via a disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17), a sheddase that normally limits UVR-induced skin inflammation by releasing soluble epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands to support keratinocyte survival. On the other hand, LCs from lesional and even non-lesional lupus model skin show reduced ADAM17 activity and mRNA expression. Non-lesional human lupus skin also showed evidence of LC dysfunction, and, here, we asked how the lupus skin environment contributes to this dysfunction. We show that non-lesional skin in human CLE and multiple photosensitive lupus models share gene expression patterns consistent with a high IFN environment and LC dysfunction. IFN-I inhibits murine and human LC ADAM17 activity, and anti-IFNAR1 in lupus models restores LC ADAM17 function and reduces photosensitivity in EGFR and LC ADAM17-dependent manners. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a mediator of ADAM17 activity, and we show that lupus models have reduced UVR-induced LC ROS generation that is restored by anti-IFNAR1. Our findings suggest shared pathogenic mechanisms of photosensitivity in human and murine lupus skin and a model whereby the IFN-I-rich microenvironment in non-lesional lupus skin inhibits UVR-induced ADAM17 activity, predisposing to photosensitivity. Our data also suggest that the beneficial effects of the recently FDA-approved anifrolumab (anti-IFNAR1) on human lupus skin could act in part by restoring LC function.
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