Requirement of Zinc Transporter ZIP10 for Epidermal Development: Implication of the ZIP10–p63 Axis in Epithelial Homeostasis

October 2017 in “ Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ”

Bum-Ho Bin, Jinhyuk Bhin, Mikiro Takaishi, Koh‐éi Toyoshima, Saeko Kawamata, Kana Ito, Takafumi Hara, Takashi Watanabe, Tarou Irié, Teruhisa Takagishi, Su-Hyon Lee, Haeng-Sun Jung, Sangchul Rho, Juyeon Seo, Dong‐Hwa Choi, Daehee Hwang, Haruhiko Koseki, Osamu Ohara, Shigetoshi Sano, Takashi Tsuji, Kenji Mishima, Toshiyuki Fukada

zinc transporter ZIP10 epidermal development zinc deficiency outer root sheath hair follicles epidermal hypoplasia p63 epidermal morphogenesis zinc influx epithelial homeostasis ZIP10 zinc transporter skin development hair follicle skin thinning

TLDR ZIP10 is crucial for skin development and maintaining healthy skin.

The study demonstrated that the zinc transporter ZIP10 was crucial for epidermal development, particularly in hair follicles, by facilitating zinc homeostasis and supporting the activity of the transcription factor p63. ZIP10 was essential for the proliferation and maintenance of epidermal progenitor cells, with its zinc delivery necessary for proper p63 transactivation, vital for epidermal morphogenesis. The research highlighted ZIP10's role in regulating LGR6+ hair follicle stem cells and maintaining hair follicle structures. Mice lacking ZIP10 exhibited severe skin abnormalities, emphasizing its importance in epithelial homeostasis. The findings suggested ZIP10 as a potential therapeutic target for skin diseases, underscoring the significance of the ZIP10–zinc–p63 signaling axis in epidermal and hair follicle development.