Vitamin D Receptor Is Required for Proliferation, Migration, and Differentiation of Epidermal Stem Cells and Progeny During Cutaneous Wound Repair

The study demonstrated that the vitamin D receptor (VDR) is crucial for the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of epidermal stem cells and their progeny during skin repair. Conditional VDR knockout mice, which had VDR deleted from their stem cells and progeny and were on a low calcium diet, showed impaired self-renewal and niche formation of epidermal stem cells. Additionally, these mice exhibited reduced β-catenin signaling, delayed stem cell migration, and impaired differentiation at wound sites, as evidenced by decreased E-cadherin expression. The absence of VDR also altered stem cell fate, leading to hindered hair development, increased sebaceous glands, and changes in the expression and location of epidermal markers. These findings indicate the essential role of VDR in epidermal stem cell function during the wound healing process.