title: Novel Functions of the Anticoagulant Activated Protein C in Maintaining Skin Barrier Integrity to Impact on Skin Disease.
abstract: The epidermis is the outermost skin layer and provides the first line of defence against the external environment. Keratinocytes are the most predominant cells in the epidermis and play a critical role in maintaining epidermal barrier function. When the barrier is disrupted any of a number of diseases, such as chronic wounds, psoriasis, pemphigus, atopic dermatitis or toxic epidermal necrolysis, can take hold. Activated protein C (APC) or its precursor, protein C, is abundantly expressed by skin epidermal keratinocytes and stimulates their proliferation and migration, and inhibits apoptosis and inflammation, leading to a healing phenotype. Importantly, APC also increases the barrier function of keratinocytes by promoting expression and cell-cell contact redistribution of tight junction proteins. These cytoprotective properties of APC on epidermal keratinocytes place it as an exciting new therapy for skin disorders associated with the disruption of barrier function and inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Sutton Arthritis Research Laboratories, Institute of Bone and Joint Research, Kolling Institute, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, N.S.W., Australia.
authors.forename: Meilang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Christopher John
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000502:physiology*; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010539:Permeability; D010641:Phenotype; D011486:Protein C / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D011486:Protein C