title: Pitx2, a beta-catenin-regulated transcription factor, regulates the differentiation of outer root sheath cells cultured in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Beta-catenin exerts its crucial role in hair follicle development and hair growth cycle. Although the importance of Wnt/beta-catenin is well recognized, the downstream effectors of beta-catenin have not been clearly elucidated yet.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to identify the beta-catenin-regulated genes in cultured human hair outer root sheath (ORS) cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  We transduced ORS cells with adenovirus harboring the expression cassette for constitutive active form of beta-catenin, then performed cDNA microarray.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overexpression of beta-catenin led to the upregulation of hair cell differentiation markers such as keratin 16 and 17. In addition, the expression of Pitx2, a bicoid-type homeodomain transcription factor, was also increased by overexpression of beta-catenin in ORS cells cultured in vitro. To investigate the potential role of Pitx2, we made the recombinant adenovirus expressing Pitx2, then transduced into the cultured ORS cells. Interestingly, Pitx2 induced the expression of keratin 16 and 17, indicating that Pitx2 activates ORS cells towards the follicular differentiation pathway preferentially.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results implicate the potential importance of Pitx2 as a beta-catenin downstream modulator in hair growth control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Research Institute for Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, 55 Munhwa-ro, Daejeon 301-747, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Cheol
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Sunhyae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Dae-Kyoung
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tae-Jin
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Hwayong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chul
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Hyoung Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Jeung-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jang-Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Chang Deok
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D053536:Keratin-16 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053537:Keratin-17 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000097577:Homeobox Protein PITX2
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D053536:Keratin-16; D053537:Keratin-17; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051176:beta Catenin; D000097577:Homeobox Protein PITX2