title: Tsukushi controls the hair cycle by regulating TGF-β1 signaling.
abstract: The hair follicle contains stem/progenitor cells that supply progeny for skin development and the hair cycle. Several signaling molecules belonging to the Wnt, BMP, shh, and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling cascades are involved in the normal hair follicle cycle. However, the systemic mechanism of how these humoral factors are controlled remains largely unknown. Previously, we reported that Tsukushi (TSK), a member of the small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycan family, functions extracellularly as a key coordinator of multiple signaling networks. Here, we show that TSK is expressed at the restricted areas of hair follicle during the morphogenesis and the hair cycle. Targeted disruption of the TSK gene causes the hair cycle to be delayed with low levels of TGF-β1 and phosphorylated Smad2/3 (pSmad2/3) expression. Biochemical analysis indicates that TSK directly binds to TGF-β1. Our data suggest that TSK controls the hair cycle by regulating TGF-β1 signaling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niimori
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Athary
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Felemban
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Niimori-Kita
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ihn
authors.forename: Kunimasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D005260:Female; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009024:Morphogenesis; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D051899:Smad2 Protein; C497783:Smad2 protein, mouse; D051900:Smad3 Protein; C497791:Smad3 protein, mouse; C578542:TSKU protein, human; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C554950:tsukushi protein, mouse