Significance of Stress Keratin Expression in Normal and Diseased Epithelia

The study examines the expression of stress-responsive keratin genes (KRT6A-C, KRT16, and KRT17) in normal and diseased skin, particularly in conditions like psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa, using single-cell transcriptomic data. It finds that stress keratins are linked to hyperproliferation and alternative differentiation pathways in diseased skin, but they do not replace normal differentiation keratins. Stress keratins are co-regulated with genes involved in differentiation, inflammation, and innate immunity, highlighting their distinct roles in skin diseases. The research identifies specific gene networks associated with individual stress keratins, impacting cellular and tissue-level responses differently. Despite limitations such as potential biases in cell representation and the need for protein-level validation, the study provides insights into the regulation and pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory skin diseases.