Summary
Background
Histidase (histidine ammonia lyase) converts histidine into urocanic acid, the main
ultraviolet (UV) light absorption factor of the stratum corneum. It is unknown if
and how histidase is regulated in the epidermis.
Objective
We have investigated the transcriptional regulation of histidase expression in epidermal
keratinocytes.
Methods
Human epidermal keratinocytes were cultured in vitro and exposed to UV irradiation, a number of cytokines and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) (1 μM). Keratinocyte differentiation was triggered by maintaining confluent cells in
monolayer culture and by establishing three-dimensional skin equivalents. The mRNA
expression level of histidase in keratinoytes as well as in the epidermis and other
tissues was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Protein expression was determined
by Western blot analysis.
Results
Human epidermis contained higher levels of histidase transcripts than all other tissues
investigated. Expression of histidase strongly increased at the mRNA and protein levels
during differentiation of primary keratinocytes in vitro. Treatment of keratinocytes with UVA and UVB did not significantly change the expression
level of histidase. By contrast, ATRA suppressed histidase expression almost completely.
Conclusions
Our results show that histidase is upregulated during keratinocyte differentiation
and that ATRA but not UV irradiation modulates the expression level of histidase.
Suppression of histidase-mediated production of urocanic acid may contribute to the
increase in UV sensitivity that is caused by treatment with retinoids.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 12, 2010
Accepted:
December 18,
2007
Received in revised form:
December 17,
2007
Received:
September 11,
2007
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
