EDN3在不同毛色小鼠皮肤中的表达与定位

内皮素3（endothelin 3, EDN3）对早期黑色素细胞的迁移及增殖分化有促进作用,并可通过与其受体结合促进黑色素的合成。EDN3在不同毛色小鼠皮肤中的差异及其在毛色形成过程中的作用仍有待研究。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,灰色小鼠皮肤中EDN3的表达量显著高于黑色及棕色小鼠,约为其2倍(P<0.01)。蛋白免疫印迹结果显示,灰色小鼠皮肤内EDN3的含量为黑色小鼠的5倍,棕色小鼠为黑色小鼠的2倍。ELISA结果表明,灰色小鼠皮肤中EDN3的蛋白质表达量分别是黑色和棕色小鼠的1.8倍和1.4倍(P<0.01)。免疫组织化学显示,EDN3在毛囊的毛基质及内外毛根鞘有明显表达,毛乳头等部位有少量表达。EDN3在不同毛色小鼠皮肤中的表达存在显著差异,是维持黑色素细胞存在不可缺少的因子,可能对两种色素颗粒的相互转化有一定的作用。     

GPR143在绵羊皮肤组织中的表达及定位分析

G蛋白偶联受体143(G-protein coupled receptor143, GPR143)在黑素体的生物合成中起重要作用,本文旨在研究GPR143基因在不同毛色绵羊皮肤组织中的差异表达及定位,探索GPR143基因与毛色形成的相关性。通过qRT-PCR方法和免疫印迹方法分别检测不同毛色绵羊皮肤组织中GPR143基因mRNA水平和蛋白水平的表达差异;运用免疫荧光法对不同毛色绵羊皮肤组织中的GPR143基因进行定位并对结果进行光密度值分析。qRT-PCR结果显示,GPR143基因在黑色绵羊皮肤组织中mRNA相对表达量为白色绵羊的7.84倍,二者差异极显著(P<0.01);免疫印迹结果显示,黑色绵羊皮肤组织中GPR143蛋白表达量是白色绵羊的1.3倍,二者差异显著(P<0.05)。免疫荧光结果显示,GPR143蛋白的主要表达部位为绵羊皮肤组织毛囊外根鞘和表皮层,经光密度值分析后发现,GPR143在黑色绵羊皮肤毛囊外根鞘和表皮层的表达量显著高于白色绵羊。本研究结果表明不同毛色绵羊皮肤组织均能表达GPR143基因,但黑色绵羊皮肤组织中该基因的mRNA和蛋白水平都显著高于白色绵羊,说明GPR143的mRNA和蛋白在黑色绵羊皮肤组织中表达上调,在白色绵羊皮肤组织中表达下调。GPR143基因可能通过调控MITF水平和黑素体的数量、大小、运动和成熟进而参与绵羊毛色的形成过程。     

不同毛色绵羊皮肤中MC1R的差异表达及定位

MC1R基因与黑色素细胞的功能、皮肤的色素沉着和皮肤癌风险相关。本研究MC1R基因在不同毛色绵羊皮肤组织中的差异表达及定位,以探索MC1R基因对皮肤色素生成方面的重要作用,确定其与毛色形成的相关性。采用荧光定量PCR方法和免疫印迹方法分别检测不同毛色绵羊皮肤中MC1R基因m RNA水平和蛋白水平的表达差异;运用免疫组织化学法对不同毛色绵羊皮肤组织中的MC1R基因进行定位。荧光定量PCR结果显示MC1R m RNA在所有绵羊皮肤组织中都表达,在全黑绵羊皮肤中的相对表达量为537.91±150.36**,在花黑和花白绵羊皮肤中的相对表达量分别为27.95±9.3**和4.19±0.57**,而在全白绵羊皮肤中的相对表达量为1.03±0.27;免疫印迹结果显示所有绵羊皮肤组织蛋白中均存在与MC1R反应的阳性条带,MC1R在全黑绵羊皮肤组织中的相对蛋白含量为6.3±0.21**,在花黑和花白绵羊皮肤组织中的相对蛋白含量分别为2.74±0.24**和1.55±0.1**,而在全白绵羊皮肤组织中的相对蛋白含量为1±0.15;免疫组织化学结果显示MC1R蛋白主要表达部位为绵羊皮肤组织毛囊的基质、根鞘等区域。试验表明不同毛色绵羊皮肤组织均正常表达MC1R基因,但其表达水平存在差异,全黑绵羊皮肤中MC1R m RNA和蛋白的表达量显著高于其它三种毛色绵羊,综上可知MC1R基因影响绵羊黑白花毛色的形成,而且真黑素的合成依赖于MC1R的表达水平。     

FLT4 调控羊驼黑色素细胞中黑色素生成

血管内皮素生长因子受体3（vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3,VEGFR-3/FLT4）与黑色素瘤细胞的生长有关,其可能对毛色及黑色素生成有一定的调控作用。为探讨FLT4基因对羊驼毛色及黑色素生成的影响,本文采用免疫组织化学、qRT-PCR、Western印迹对FLT4在不同毛色羊驼皮肤毛囊中的表达进行了研究。结果显示,FLT4在不同毛色毛囊中外根鞘及毛乳头阳性表达不同,且棕色皮肤比白色皮肤阳性信号强;FLT4 mRNA在棕色羊驼皮肤的表达量明显高于白色羊驼皮肤 (P<0.01);FLT4蛋白在棕色皮肤中的表达量明显高于白色皮肤(P<0.01);为进一步研究FLT4对黑色素生成的影响;通过对体外培养的羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞中添加不同浓度的FLT4蛋白（0, 1, 10, 50, 100 ng/mL）,与对照组相比,添加FLT4蛋白后酪氨酸酶(TYR)、酪氨酸相关蛋白-1(TYRP1)、受体酪氨酸激酶 c-KIT、小眼畸形相关转录因子(MITF)的 mRNA和蛋白质表达明显增加, 10 ng/mL组表达量最高(P<0.01);黑色素含量测定结果表明,不同浓度的FLT4蛋白处理的羊驼皮肤黑色素细胞的黑色素含量比对照组明显升高,添加FLT4蛋白10 ng/mL表达量最高(P<0.01)。由此可知,FLT4可以通过调节毛色相关基因的表达进而引起黑色素细胞中黑色素含量的变化。     

Lef-1基因在棕色和白色羊驼皮肤差异表达

本实验旨在研究Lef-1在不同毛色羊驼皮肤中的表达和定位,探索其与毛色间的关系.采用实时荧光定量PCR、Western blotting以及免疫组织化学方法,研究白色和棕色羊驼皮肤中的mRNA、蛋白表达水平和定位.实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,Lef-1在棕色羊驼皮肤组织相对基因表达量是3.3727±0.1989,在白色羊驼皮肤组织是1.0003±0.0227; Western blotting结果显示,在羊驼皮肤组织总蛋白中存在分子量约44 KD与兔抗Lef-1多克隆抗体发生免疫阳性反应的蛋白条带,棕色羊驼平均蛋白表达量显著高于白色羊驼;免疫组织化学结果显示,在棕色羊驼皮肤组织中多表达在毛球部、表皮也有分布,在白色羊驼皮肤组织中多表达在表皮,在棕色和白色羊驼皮肤组织中外根鞘都有较强表达.结果显示Lef-1在棕色和白色羊驼皮肤的定位和含量存在差异,提示Lef-1可能影响了羊驼被毛颜色的形成.     

Slc7a11基因在不同被毛颜色哈萨克羊皮肤组织中的表达分析

Slc7a11基因属于溶质转运家族,编码胱氨酸/谷氨酸xCT转运载体,经证实该基因调控黑色素与伪黑色素的转换。文章利用实时荧光定量PCR技术分析Slc7a11基因在3种不同毛色哈萨克绵羊羔羊皮肤组织中的mRNA转录水平,构建原核表达载体,诱导表达融合蛋白,并对包涵体蛋白进行纯化,免疫新西兰大白兔制备抗血清,最后检测不同毛色皮肤中该蛋白的表达水平。结果表明,Slc7a11基因在3种毛色皮肤中的表达水平有显著差异,棕色被毛皮肤中表达水平最高,其次是黑色,在白色中表达最少。利用纯化的融合蛋白制备多克隆抗体,发现sxCT蛋白在棕色被毛中表达最高,其次是黑色,白色最低,因此,Slc7a11基因可能与哈萨克绵羊毛色表型有相关性。     

小鼠毛囊不同生长周期中MITF下游色素相关基因的定位表达及相关性分析

小眼畸形转录因子（MITF）不仅是黑色素细胞发育、增殖和存活的必要调节因子,而且对调节相关酶和黑素体蛋白表达来确保黑色素产生具有至关重要的作用。MITF下游色素相关基因在小鼠毛囊生长周期中的表达及相关性仍有待研究。HE染色结果表明不同毛囊时期的小鼠毛囊呈现典型的组织形态学结构;免疫组织化学显示,MITF、GPNMB、OA1、TYR、TYRP2在不同毛囊生长周期中的毛基质及内外毛根鞘均有不同程度的阳性表达。黑色素测定结果表明,在毛囊生长初期和中期,碱性可溶性总黑色素（ASM）、真黑素（EM）以及褐黑素（PM）相对含量高于毛囊生长末期。蛋白免疫印迹结果表明,MITF、GPNMB、OA1、TYR、TYRP2在毛囊生长初期和中期蛋白质相对水平明显高于毛囊生长末期。实时荧光定量PCR结果表明, MITF、GPNMB、OA1、TYR、TYRP2、PMEL在毛囊生长初期和中期,mRNA相对表达量显著高于毛囊生长末期。在不同毛囊生长周期小鼠皮肤的MITF下游色素相关基因表达存在显著差异,表明上述因子在维持黑色素细胞色素生成是不可或缺的因素。     

紫外线b促进绵羊黑色素细胞中GPNMB和PMEL的表达北大核心CSCD

非转移性黑色素瘤糖蛋白b(glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein b,GPNMB)及其同系物色素细胞特异性黑色素细胞蛋白(pigment cell-specific melanocyte protein,PMEL)对黑素体的形成和黑色素的生成具有重要的作用,而GPNMB和PMEL的功能还有待深入研究。本文旨在探索GPNMB和PMEL在不同毛色绵羊皮肤表达是否存在差异,确定紫外线b(UVB)对GPNMB和PMEL是否有影响。免疫组织化学结果表明,GPNMB在不同毛色绵羊皮肤的毛基质、内外毛根鞘、毛乳头等区域均有表达。Western印迹和qRT-PCR结果显示,黑色绵羊皮肤中GPNMB和PMEL表达量,高于白色绵羊皮肤。黑色素细胞经UVB照射后,GPNMB和PMEL的表达增高。UVB照射剂量为100 m J/cm2时,黑色素细胞活性最高;单次UVB辐射后,GPNMB和PMEL mRNA表达量在72h达到顶峰,两者的曲线变化趋势大致相同。UVB连续辐射后,GPNMB mRNA表达量在4 d达到顶峰,而PMEL mRNA表达量虽然在3 d升高,但且对GPNMB作用更明显。上述结果提示,GPNMB和PMEL在不同毛色绵羊皮肤存在差异性表达。UVB单次或者连续照射,均促进GPNMB和PMEL表达,且对GPNMB影响更显著。GPNMB和PMEL可能通过影响黑素体的成熟进而调节黑色素的生成。     

紫外线b促进绵羊黑色素细胞中GPNMB和PMEL的表达

非转移性黑色素瘤糖蛋白b（glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein b,GPNMB）及其同系物色素细胞特异性黑色素细胞蛋白（pigment cell-specific melanocyte protein,PMEL）对黑素体的形成和黑色素的生成具有重要的作用,而GPNMB和PMEL的功能还有待深入研究。本文旨在探索GPNMB和PMEL在不同毛色绵羊皮肤表达是否存在差异,确定紫外线b（UVB）对GPNMB和PMEL是否有影响。免疫组织化学结果表明,GPNMB在不同毛色绵羊皮肤的毛基质、内外毛根鞘、毛乳头等区域均有表达。Western印迹和qRT-PCR结果显示,黑色绵羊皮肤中GPNMB和PMEL表达量,高于白色绵羊皮肤。黑色素细胞经UVB照射后,GPNMB和PMEL的表达增高。UVB照射剂量为100 mJ/cm2时,黑色素细胞活性最高;单次UVB辐射后,GPNMB和PMEL mRNA表达量在72 h达到顶峰,两者的曲线变化趋势大致相同。UVB连续辐射后,GPNMB mRNA表达量在4 d达到顶峰,而PMEL mRNA表达量虽然在3 d升高,但且对GPNMB作用更明显。上述结果提示,GPNMB和PMEL在不同毛色绵羊皮肤存在差异性表达。UVB单次或者连续照射,均促进GPNMB和PMEL表达,且对GPNMB影响更显著。GPNMB和PMEL可能通过影响黑素体的成熟进而调节黑色素的生成。     

Maintenance of distinct melanocyte populations in the interfollicular epidermis

Hair follicles and sweat glands are recognized as reservoirs of melanocyte stem cells (MSCs). Unlike differentiated melanocytes, undifferentiated MSCs do not produce melanin. They serve as a source of differentiated melanocytes for the hair follicle and contribute to the interfollicular epidermis upon wounding, exposure to ultraviolet irradiation or in remission from vitiligo, where repigmentation often spreads outwards from the hair follicles. It is unknown whether these observations reflect the normal homoeostatic mechanism of melanocyte renewal or whether unperturbed interfollicular epidermis can maintain a melanocyte population that is independent of the skin's appendages. Here, we show that mouse tail skin lacking appendages does maintain a stable melanocyte number, including a low frequency of amelanotic melanocytes, into adult life. Furthermore, we show that actively cycling differentiated melanocytes are present in postnatal skin, indicating that amelanotic melanocytes are not uniquely relied on for melanocyte homoeostasis.     

Functionally distinct melanocyte populations revealed by reconstitution of hair follicles in mice

Hair follicle reconstitution analysis was used to test the contribution of melanocytes or their precursors to regenerated hair follicles. In this study, we first confirmed the process of chimeric hair follicle regeneration by both hair keratinocytes and follicular melanocytes. Then, as first suggested from the differential growth requirements of epidermal skin melanocytes and non‐cutaneous or dermal melanocytes, we confirmed the inability of the latter to be involved as follicular melanocytes to regenerate hair follicles during the hair reconstitution assay. This clear functional discrimination between non‐cutaneous or dermal melanocytes and epidermal melanocytes suggests the presence of two different melanocyte cell lineages, a finding that might be important in the pathogenesis of melanocyte‐related diseases and melanomas.     

Pax3( GFP ) , a new reporter for the melanocyte lineage, highlights novel aspects of PAX3 expression in the skin

The paired box gene 3 (Pax3) is expressed during pigment cell development. We tested whether the targeted allele Pax3(GFP) can be used as a reporter gene for pigment cells in the mouse. We found that enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) can be seen readily in every melanoblast and melanocyte in the epidermis and hair follicles of Pax3(GFP/+) heterozygotes. The GFP was detected at all differentiation stages, including melanocyte stem cells. In the dermis, Schwann cells and nestin-positive cells of the piloneural collars resembling the nestin-positive hair follicle multipotent stem cells exhibited a weaker GFP signal. Pigment cells could be purified by fluorescent activated cell sorting and grown in vitro without feeder cells, giving pure cultures of melanocytes. The Schwann cells and nestin-positive cells of the piloneural collars were FACS-isolated based on their weak expression of GFP. Thus Pax3(GFP) can discriminate distinct populations of cells in the skin.     

Effects of low-dose γ-rays on the embryonic development of mouse melanoblasts and melanocytes in the epidermis and hair bulbs

The effects of low-dose γ-rays on the embryonic development of animal cells are not well studied. The mouse melanocyte is a good model to study the effects of low-dose γ-rays on the development of animal cells, as it possesses visible pigment (melanin) as a differentiation marker. The aim of this study is to investigate in detail the effects of low-dose γ-rays on embryonic development of mouse melanoblasts and melanocytes in the epidermis and hair bulbs at cellular level. Pregnant females of C57BL/10J mice at nine days of gestation were whole-body irradiated with a single acute dose of γrays (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 Gy), and the effects of γ-rays were studied by scoring changes in the development of epidermal melanoblasts and melanocytes, hair follicles, and hair bulb melanocytes at 18 days in gestation. The number of epidermal melanoblasts and melanocytes, hair follicles, and hair bulb melanocytes in the dorsal and ventral skins was markedly decreased even at 0.1 Gy-treated embryos (P < 0.001), and gradually decreased as dose increased. The effects on the ventral skin were greater than those on the dorsal skin. The dramatic reduction in the number of melanocytes compared to melanoblasts was observed in the ventral skin, but not in the dorsal skin. These results suggest that low-dose γ-rays provoke the death of melanoblasts and melanocytes, or inhibit the proliferation and differentiation of melanoblasts and melanocytes, even at the low dose.     

RADIATION DEPIGMENTATION OF MOUSE HAIR: A STUDY OF FOLLICULAR MELANOCYTE POPULATIONS

The radiation depigmentation of mouse hair has been studied by a technique enabling melanocyte per follicle counts to be made. Distributions for normal skin show a large peak corresponding to the zigzag hair type. Changes in the frequency distributions of melanocytes per follicle after irradiation are presented for Strong F and DBA-1 mice irradiated in anagen or telogen stages of hair growth. These distributions clearly suggest the existence of some precursor cells, and the dose-response curves obtained by defining radiation survivors as follicles containing more than ten melanocytes gives the sensitivity of these cells to inactivation. D₀ values are 180–220 rads. A melanocyte-melanoblast model is proposed for the follicular melanocyte cycle which can be outlined as follows: The telogen follicle contains a small number of amelanotic melanocytes that survived through catagen. These cells possess the ability to repopulate the follicle with melanocytes. In catagen functional and/or amelanotic melanocytes are lost at random. Genes for dilution (possibly only when modified by other coat colour genes) and radiation both increase the chance of melanocyte loss at catagen by altering the melanocyte-dermal papilla relationship. One way in which this is affected is by a shortening of the dendrites. A feedback may operate in the follicle so that the full complement of melanocytes is achieved whatever number of melanocytes persists in telogen.     

Different Populations of Melanocytes Are Present in Hair Follicles and Epidermis

Melanocytes in human skin reside both in the epidermis and in the matrix and outer root sheath of anagen hair follicles. Comparative study of melanocytes in these different locations has been difficult as hair follicle melanocytes could not be cultured. In this study we used a recently described method of growing hair follicle melanocytes to characterize and compare hair follicle and epidermal melanocytes in the scalp of the same individual. Three morphologically and antigenically distinct types of melanocytes were observed in primary culture. These included (1) moderately pigmented and polydendritic melanocytes derived from epidermis; (2) small, bipolar, amelanotic melanocytes; and (3) large, intensely pigmented melanocytes; the latter two were derived from hair follicles. The three sub-populations of cells all reacted with melanocyte-specific monoclonal antibody. Epidermal and amelanotic hair follicle melanocytes proliferated well in culture, whereas the intensely pigmented hair follicle melanocytes did not. Amelanotic hair follicle melanocytes differed from epidermal melanocytes in being less differentiated, and they expressed less mature melanosome antigens. In addition, hair follicle melanocytes expressed some antigens associated with alopecia areata, but not antigens associated with vitiligo, whereas the reverse was true for epidermal melanocytes. Thus, antigenically different populations of melanocytes are present in epidermis and hair follicle. This could account for the preferential destruction of hair follicle melanocytes in alopecia areata and of epidermal melanocytes in vitiligo.     

Wnt3a在毛囊及黑素细胞谱系中的表达

目的:探讨毛囊周期中,Wnt3a在毛囊及黑素细胞中的表达变化。方法:以DCT-LacZ转基因小鼠为动物模型,通过X-gal染色技术观察黑素细胞谱系在小鼠皮肤中的分布情况;采用X-gal染色结合免疫组化方法检测Wnt3a在毛囊及黑素细胞谱系中的表达情况;采用RT-PCR方法对小鼠皮肤全层Wnt3a和TYR的mRNA表达进行半定量分析。结果:在生长期毛囊中,Wnt3a蛋白在表皮、毛囊外根鞘Bulge区、内根鞘以及毛球部均有表达,在黑素干细胞与黑素细胞也观察到Wnt3a;在退化期,Wnt3a的表达逐渐减弱,仅在外根鞘有较弱的表达,但黑素干细胞中没有观察到Wnt3a;在静止期,几乎检测不到Wnt3a的表达;TYR mRNA与Wnt3a mRNA在毛囊周期中的表达模式一致,在生长期最强,退化期减弱,静止期最弱。结论:Wnt3a可能对黑素细胞谱系分化起到促进作用。     

The cell biology of human hair follicle pigmentation

Although we have made significant progress in understanding the regulation of the UVR‐exposed epidermal‐melanin unit, we know relatively little about how human hair follicle pigmentation is regulated. Progress has been hampered by gaps in our knowledge of the hair growth cycle’s controls, to which hair pigmentation appears tightly coupled. However, pigment cell researchers may have overly focused on the follicular melanocytes of the nocturnal and UVR‐shy mouse as a proxy for human epidermal melanocytes. Here, I emphasize the epidermis‐follicular melanocyte pluralism of human skin, as research models for vitiligo, alopecia areata and melanoma, personal care/cosmetics innovation. Further motivation could be in finding answers to why hair follicle and epidermal pigmentary units remain broadly distinct? Why melanomas tend to originate from epidermal rather than follicular melanocytes? Why multiple follicular melanocyte sub‐populations exist? Why follicular melanocytes are more sensitive to aging influences? In this perspective, I attempt to raise the status of the human hair follicle melanocyte and highlight some species‐specific issues involved which the general reader of the pigmentation literature (with its substantial mouse‐based data) may not fully appreciate.     

Migration of melanoblasts into the developing murine hair follicle is accompanied by transient c-Kit expression.

Disruption of the c-Kit/stem cell factor (SCF) signaling pathway interferes with the survival, migration, and differentiation of melanocytes during generation of the hair follicle pigmentary unit. We examined c-Kit, SCF, and S100 (a marker for precursor melanocytic cells) expression, as well as melanoblast/melanocyte ultrastructure, in perinatal C57BL/6 mouse skin. Before the onset of hair bulb melanogenesis (i.e., stages 0-4 of hair follicle morphogenesis), strong c-Kit immunoreactivity (IR) was seen in selected non-melanogenic cells in the developing hair placode and hair plug. Many of these cells were S100-IR and were ultrastructurally identified as melanoblasts with migratory appearance. During the subsequent stages (5 and 6), increasingly dendritic c-Kit-IR cells successively invaded the hair bulb, while S100-IR gradually disappeared from these cells. Towards the completion of hair follicle morphogenesis (stages 7 and 8), several distinct follicular melanocytic cell populations could be defined and consisted broadly of (a) undifferentiated, non-pigmented c-Kit-negative melanoblasts in the outer root sheath and bulge and (b) highly differentiated melanocytes adjacent to the hair follicle dermal papilla above Auber's line. Widespread epithelial SCF-IR was seen throughout hair follicle morphogenesis. These findings suggest that melanoblasts express c-Kit as a prerequisite for migration into the SCF-supplying hair follicle epithelium. In addition, differentiated c-Kit-IR melanocytes target the bulb, while non-c-Kit-IR melanoblasts invade the outer root sheath and bulge in fully developed hair follicles.