ROLE OF MICRORNAS IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF ATOPIC DERMATITIS
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease, which is characterized by skin barrier defect and immune dysregulation. In this study, we investigated the role of microRNA in AD pathogenesis. We found miR-335 to be highly expressed in the differentiating layers of normal epidermis but downregulated in AD. miR-335 overexpression in cultured basal keratinocytes resulted in increased expression of keratinocyte differentiation markers and cornified envelope formation, suggesting that miR-335 is a critical determinant of keratinocyte differentiation. By using target prediction software and luciferase assay, we identified SOX6 and CASP7 as novel bona fide targets of miR-335. Both SOX6 and CASP7 were found to be overexpressed in AD skin. SOX6 was shown to regulate keratinocyte differentiation, while CASP7 may regulate skin immune regulation. In conclusion, our results suggest that miR-335 may be a master regulator in maintaining skin homeostasis by regulating barrier function and immune response.
atopic dermatitis, microRNA, SOX6, CASP7, HDAC, keratinocyte differentiation
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