The Volume-Regulated Anion Channel LRRC8 is Involved in the Initiation of Epidermal Differentiation and is Deregulated in Psoriasis

Recent studies have shown that LRRC8A, the essential subunit of the volume-regulated anion channel LRRC8, which is responsible for mediating cell volume regulation during hypotonic stress, is predominantly localized in the basal layer of the epidermis. This prompted us to investigate whether LRRC8A...

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Main Authors: Magdalena Jahn, Victoria Lang, Oliver Rauh, Torsten Fauth, Claudia Buerger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:JID Innovations
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266702672500013X
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author Magdalena Jahn
Victoria Lang
Oliver Rauh
Torsten Fauth
Claudia Buerger
author_facet Magdalena Jahn
Victoria Lang
Oliver Rauh
Torsten Fauth
Claudia Buerger
author_sort Magdalena Jahn
collection DOAJ
description Recent studies have shown that LRRC8A, the essential subunit of the volume-regulated anion channel LRRC8, which is responsible for mediating cell volume regulation during hypotonic stress, is predominantly localized in the basal layer of the epidermis. This prompted us to investigate whether LRRC8A plays a role in maintaining epidermal homeostasis by regulating key processes initiated in this layer, such as cell proliferation and/or differentiation.LRRC8A was found to be strongly upregulated in transiently amplifying cells at the onset of differentiation. While LRRC8A mRNA remains high when keratinocytes mature further, the LRRC8A protein is drastically downregulated. Interference with LRRC8A expression at this step inhibits the transition of keratinocyte stem cells into transiently amplifying cells and impairs terminal differentiation. As psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by disturbed epidermal differentiation and aberrant function of transiently amplifying cells, we investigated the involvement of LRRC8A in this disease. Indeed, LRRC8A was strongly decreased in lesional psoriatic skin, which could also be mimicked in vitro using Th1/Th17 cytokine mixes. Thus, our data suggest that LRRC8 could serve as a therapeutic target for the topical treatment strategies of psoriatic lesions by restoring the capacity of keratinocytes to initiate differentiation.
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spelling doaj-art-56331e57b8ff44cfb7ff53ebe3b194252025-08-20T03:10:27ZengElsevierJID Innovations2667-02672025-05-015310035710.1016/j.xjidi.2025.100357The Volume-Regulated Anion Channel LRRC8 is Involved in the Initiation of Epidermal Differentiation and is Deregulated in PsoriasisMagdalena Jahn0Victoria Lang1Oliver Rauh2Torsten Fauth3Claudia Buerger4Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, University Hospital Frankfurt, GermanyDepartment of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, University Hospital Frankfurt, GermanyPlant Membrane Biophysics, Department of Biology, Technical University Darmstadt, GermanyBRAIN Biotech AG, Zwingenberg, Germany; Akribion Therapeutics GmbH, Zwingenberg, GermanyDepartment of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany; Correspondence: Claudia Buerger, Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.Recent studies have shown that LRRC8A, the essential subunit of the volume-regulated anion channel LRRC8, which is responsible for mediating cell volume regulation during hypotonic stress, is predominantly localized in the basal layer of the epidermis. This prompted us to investigate whether LRRC8A plays a role in maintaining epidermal homeostasis by regulating key processes initiated in this layer, such as cell proliferation and/or differentiation.LRRC8A was found to be strongly upregulated in transiently amplifying cells at the onset of differentiation. While LRRC8A mRNA remains high when keratinocytes mature further, the LRRC8A protein is drastically downregulated. Interference with LRRC8A expression at this step inhibits the transition of keratinocyte stem cells into transiently amplifying cells and impairs terminal differentiation. As psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by disturbed epidermal differentiation and aberrant function of transiently amplifying cells, we investigated the involvement of LRRC8A in this disease. Indeed, LRRC8A was strongly decreased in lesional psoriatic skin, which could also be mimicked in vitro using Th1/Th17 cytokine mixes. Thus, our data suggest that LRRC8 could serve as a therapeutic target for the topical treatment strategies of psoriatic lesions by restoring the capacity of keratinocytes to initiate differentiation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266702672500013XEpidermal differentiationKeratinocytesIon channelLRRC8SWELL1
spellingShingle Magdalena Jahn
Victoria Lang
Oliver Rauh
Torsten Fauth
Claudia Buerger
The Volume-Regulated Anion Channel LRRC8 is Involved in the Initiation of Epidermal Differentiation and is Deregulated in Psoriasis
JID Innovations
Epidermal differentiation
Keratinocytes
Ion channel
LRRC8
SWELL1
title The Volume-Regulated Anion Channel LRRC8 is Involved in the Initiation of Epidermal Differentiation and is Deregulated in Psoriasis
title_full The Volume-Regulated Anion Channel LRRC8 is Involved in the Initiation of Epidermal Differentiation and is Deregulated in Psoriasis
title_fullStr The Volume-Regulated Anion Channel LRRC8 is Involved in the Initiation of Epidermal Differentiation and is Deregulated in Psoriasis
title_full_unstemmed The Volume-Regulated Anion Channel LRRC8 is Involved in the Initiation of Epidermal Differentiation and is Deregulated in Psoriasis
title_short The Volume-Regulated Anion Channel LRRC8 is Involved in the Initiation of Epidermal Differentiation and is Deregulated in Psoriasis
title_sort volume regulated anion channel lrrc8 is involved in the initiation of epidermal differentiation and is deregulated in psoriasis
topic Epidermal differentiation
Keratinocytes
Ion channel
LRRC8
SWELL1
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266702672500013X
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