Etude du rôle des lysosomes et du cholestérol au cours de la différenciation des kératinocytes épidermiques

Abstract

Role of lysosomes and cholesterol during the differentiation process of epidermal keratinocytes (by Ralph Jans) A major part of the protective role of the epidermis, superficial layer of the skin, is guaranteed by the keratinocytes that differentiate progressively and terminally in the suprabasal layers of this tissue. The renewal of the epidermis is performed by proliferating stem cells in the basal layer. Perturbation of the mechanisms that regulate the proliferation and/or the differentiation of keratinocytes leads to an invalid barrier function. Therefore, elucidating these mechanisms is a major challenge for skin researchers. In several cell types, lysosomes undergo exocytosis upon entry of calcium into the cells. Since keratinocytes are subjected to an entry of calcium during their differentiation in vivo, these cells could exhibit an exocytosis of lysosomes under these circumstances. The results presented in this work show that an incubation of keratinocytes with the calcium ionophore ionomycin triggers the secretion of the enzymatic activities of the lysosomal enzymes cathepsin C and β-galactosidase as well as the release of the lysosomal form of cathepsin D. This treatment also induces the appearance of the lysosomal membrane proteins Lamp-1 and Lamp-2 at the plasma membrane of keratinocytes. Exocytosis of lysosomes could be part of the keratinocyte differentiation process, but could also allow these cells to repair their plasma membrane upon disruption due to mechanical stresses. Since cholesterol could be involved in the regulation of several signal transduction pathways during keratinocyte differentiation, we have investigated the effects of a depletion of cholesterol on the keratinocyte phenotype and on selected signaling pathways. Cholesterol depletion was induced by incubating the cells with methyl-β-cyclodextrin. This treatment, followed by an inhibition of cholesterol neosynthesis using lovastatin, triggers an upregulation of the expression of involucrin, a late differentiation marker, and a downregulation of keratin 10 and keratin 14, which, respectively, are markers of early-differentiating and undifferentiated keratinocytes. Cholesterol depletion activates the membrane receptors EGFR and HER2 and the MAP kinase p38. Using the specific inhibitor PD169316, we demonstrate that the p38α isoform is responsible for the upregulation of involucrin during cholesterol depletion. In summary, our observations suggest a novel role for lysosomes during keratinocyte differentiation and indicate a critical role for cholesterol in the regulation of this process.

Date of Award	22 Apr 2004
Original language	French
Awarding Institution	University of Namur
Supervisor	Yves Poumay (Supervisor), Michel Jadot (Co-Supervisor), Francis Mainferme (Jury), Carine Michiels (Jury), André Piront (Jury), Marjan Garmyn (Jury) & F. Van den Brule (Jury)