title: Overexpression of the transcription factor Yin-Yang-1 suppresses differentiation of HaCaT cells in three-dimensional cell culture.
abstract: Yin-Yang-1 (YY1) is a member of the GLI-Krüppel family of transcription factors, and both YY1 mRNA and protein expression have been identified in a number of different tissues and cell types suggesting that it is expressed both constitutively and ubiquitously. In epidermal tissue, however, we reported previously that YY1 protein is expressed at high levels in undifferentiated basal keratinocytes and is downregulated during differentiation toward the suprabasal layers. This differential expression pattern during keratinocyte differentiation suggests that YY1 may have an important role in regulating keratinocyte differentiation. In this study, we examined the role of YY1 in differentiation of the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT using air-liquid interface three-dimensional culture. The constitutive overexpression of YY1 in HaCaT cells during air exposure-induced differentiation resulted in an undifferentiated phenotype, thickening of the stratified layers, suppression of differentiation marker expression, and retention of proliferative activity. These findings suggested that YY1 may have an important role in maintenance of the undifferentiated phenotype of keratinocytes in the basal epidermal layer, and that reduction of YY1 expression in the suprabasal layers may allow keratinocytes to differentiate and move toward the upper layers of the epidermis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Shijima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawachi
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishitsuka
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furuta
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Xuezhu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ikebe
authors.forename: Mitsuyasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Fujio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Otsuka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D020405:Dermis / Q000166:cytology; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000502:physiology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D050986:YY1 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D050986:YY1 Transcription Factor; C494698:YY1 protein, human