Differences in Cell Subsets Between Sun-Exposed and Unexposed Skin: Preliminary Single-Cell Sequencing and Biological Analysis from a Single Case
October 2024
in “
Frontiers in Medicine
”
single-cell sequencing sun-exposed skin unexposed skin PD-L1 PD-1 checkpoint pathway MAPK pathway TNF-alpha TGF-beta apoptosis pathways hair follicle cells photoaged skin UV-induced skin cancers programmed death-ligand 1 programmed cell death protein 1 mitogen-activated protein kinase tumor necrosis factor-alpha transforming growth factor-beta
TLDR Sun-exposed skin shows different cell activity and gene expression, suggesting targets to prevent skin aging and cancer.
This study used single-cell sequencing to compare sun-exposed and unexposed skin from a single individual, identifying 25 cell clusters and 12 skin cell types. Significant differences in gene expression were found, with 9 dominant cell clusters in sun-exposed skin and 16 in unexposed skin. Sun-exposed skin showed increased PD-L1 expression and PD-1 checkpoint pathway activity, while MAPK, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta, and apoptosis pathways were more active in hair follicle cells. These findings provide insights into cellular changes in photoaged skin and suggest potential targets for preventing skin photoaging and UV-induced skin cancers.
