Obesity Resistance of the Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase-Deficient (Scd1 -/-) Mouse Results from Disruption of the Epidermal Lipid Barrier and Adaptive Thermoregulation

The study investigated the effects of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (scd1) gene deletion in mice, which resulted in obesity resistance and a severe skin phenotype. SCD1 deficiency disrupted the epidermal lipid barrier, causing uncontrolled transepidermal water loss, impaired thermoregulation, and a metabolic wasting syndrome. The absence of specific fatty acids and ceramides led to these disruptions. Topical lipid application restored the epidermal barrier and reversed the associated metabolic issues. SCD1 deficiency also affected the expression of Lef1, crucial for skin and hair development. The findings suggested that the scd1-/- mouse could serve as a model for studying human skin diseases related to epidermal barrier defects.