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Piccini I, Chéret J, Tsutsumi M, Sakaguchi S, Ponce L, Almeida L, Funk W, Kückelhaus M, Kajiya K, Paus R, Bertolini M. Preliminary evidence that Merkel cells exert chemosensory functions in human epidermis. Exp Dermatol 2023; 32:1848-1855. [PMID: 37587642 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The mechanotransduction of light-touch sensory stimuli is considered to be the main physiological function of epidermal Merkel cells (MCs). Recently, however, MCs have been demonstrated to be also thermo-sensitive, suggesting that their role in skin physiologically extends well beyond mechanosensation. Here, we demonstrate that in healthy human skin epidermal MCs express functional olfactory receptors, namely OR2AT4, just like neighbouring keratinocytes. Selective stimulation of OR2AT4 by topical application of the synthetic odorant, Sandalore®, significantly increased Piccolo protein expression in MCs, as assessed by quantitative immunohistomorphometry, indicating increased vesicle trafficking and recycling, and significantly reduced nerve growth factor (NGF) immunoreactivity within MCs, possibly indicating increased neurotrophin release upon OR2AT4 activation. Live-cell imaging showed that Sandalore® rapidly induces a loss of FFN206-dependent fluorescence in MCs, suggesting OR2AT4-dependent MC depolarization and subsequent vesicle secretion. Yet, in contrast to keratinocytes, OR2AT4 stimulation by Sandalore® altered neither the number nor the proliferation status of MCs. These preliminary ex vivo findings demonstrate that epidermal MCs also exert OR-dependent chemosensory functions in human skin, and invite one to explore whether these newly identified properties are dysregulated in selected skin disorders, for example, in pruritic dermatoses, and if these novel MC functions can be therapeutically targeted to maintain/promote skin health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Piccini
- Monasterium Laboratory, Skin and Hair Research Solutions GmbH, Münster, Germany
| | - Jeremy Chéret
- Monasterium Laboratory, Skin and Hair Research Solutions GmbH, Münster, Germany
- Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Moe Tsutsumi
- MIRAI Technology Institute, Shiseido Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Saito Sakaguchi
- MIRAI Technology Institute, Shiseido Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Leslie Ponce
- Monasterium Laboratory, Skin and Hair Research Solutions GmbH, Münster, Germany
| | - Luis Almeida
- Monasterium Laboratory, Skin and Hair Research Solutions GmbH, Münster, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Funk
- Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Kentaro Kajiya
- MIRAI Technology Institute, Shiseido Co., Ltd., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ralf Paus
- Monasterium Laboratory, Skin and Hair Research Solutions GmbH, Münster, Germany
- Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
- CUTANEON - Skin & Hair Innovations, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marta Bertolini
- Monasterium Laboratory, Skin and Hair Research Solutions GmbH, Münster, Germany
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Brown TL, Horton EC, Craig EW, Goo CEA, Black EC, Hewitt MN, Yee NG, Fan ET, Raible DW, Rasmussen JP. Dermal appendage-dependent patterning of zebrafish atoh1a+ Merkel cells. eLife 2023; 12:85800. [PMID: 36648063 PMCID: PMC9901935 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Touch system function requires precise interactions between specialized skin cells and somatosensory axons, as exemplified by the vertebrate mechanosensory Merkel cell-neurite complex. Development and patterning of Merkel cells and associated neurites during skin organogenesis remain poorly understood, partly due to the in utero development of mammalian embryos. Here, we discover Merkel cells in the zebrafish epidermis and identify Atonal homolog 1a (Atoh1a) as a marker of zebrafish Merkel cells. We show that zebrafish Merkel cells derive from basal keratinocytes, express neurosecretory and mechanosensory machinery, extend actin-rich microvilli, and complex with somatosensory axons, all hallmarks of mammalian Merkel cells. Merkel cells populate all major adult skin compartments, with region-specific densities and distribution patterns. In vivo photoconversion reveals that Merkel cells undergo steady loss and replenishment during skin homeostasis. Merkel cells develop concomitant with dermal appendages along the trunk and loss of Ectodysplasin signaling, which prevents dermal appendage formation, reduces Merkel cell density by affecting cell differentiation. By contrast, altering dermal appendage morphology changes the distribution, but not density, of Merkel cells. Overall, our studies provide insights into touch system maturation during skin organogenesis and establish zebrafish as an experimentally accessible in vivo model for the study of Merkel cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya L Brown
- Department of Biology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Emma C Horton
- Department of Biology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Evan W Craig
- Department of Biology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Camille EA Goo
- Department of Biology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Erik C Black
- Department of Biology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Madeleine N Hewitt
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Department of Biological Structure, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Nathaniel G Yee
- Department of Biology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Everett T Fan
- Department of Biology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - David W Raible
- Department of Biological Structure, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Jeffrey P Rasmussen
- Department of Biology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
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Michalak-Micka K, Rütsche D, Mazzone L, Büchler VL, Moehrlen U, Klar AS, Biedermann T. Human fetal skin derived merkel cells display distinctive characteristics in vitro and in bio-engineered skin substitutes in vivo. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:983870. [PMID: 36185452 PMCID: PMC9520781 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.983870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human skin contains specialized neuroendocrine Merkel cells responsible for fine touch sensation. In the present study, we performed in-depth analysis of Merkel cells in human fetal back skin. We revealed that these Merkel cells expressed cytokeratin 20 (CK20), were positive for the neuroendocrine markers synaptophysin and chromogranin A, and the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo2. Further, we demonstrated that Merkel cells were present in freshly isolated human fetal epidermal cells in vitro, and in tissue-engineered human dermo-epidermal skin substitutes 4 weeks after transplantation on immune-compromised rats. Merkel cells retained the expression of CK20, synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and Piezo2 after isolation and in culture, and in the skin substitutes after transplantation. Interestingly, we observed that in fetal skin and in skin substitutes, only Merkel cells were positive for CK8, while in culture, also non-Merkel cells showed positivity for CK8. In summary, human fetal Merkel cells showed phenotypical features confirming their cell identity. This findings are of pivotal importance for the future application of fetal tissue-engineered skin in clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Michalak-Micka
- Tissue Biology Research Unit, Department of Surgery, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Children’s Research Center (CRC), University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominic Rütsche
- Tissue Biology Research Unit, Department of Surgery, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Children’s Research Center (CRC), University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luca Mazzone
- Children’s Research Center (CRC), University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Spina Bifida Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- The Zurich Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa L. Büchler
- Tissue Biology Research Unit, Department of Surgery, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Children’s Research Center (CRC), University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ueli Moehrlen
- Children’s Research Center (CRC), University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Spina Bifida Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- The Zurich Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Agnes S. Klar
- Tissue Biology Research Unit, Department of Surgery, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Children’s Research Center (CRC), University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Biedermann
- Tissue Biology Research Unit, Department of Surgery, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Children’s Research Center (CRC), University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Thomas Biedermann,
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Oss-Ronen L, Sarusi T, Cohen I. Histone Mono-Ubiquitination in Transcriptional Regulation and Its Mark on Life: Emerging Roles in Tissue Development and Disease. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152404. [PMID: 35954248 PMCID: PMC9368181 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation plays an essential role in driving precise transcriptional programs during development and homeostasis. Among epigenetic mechanisms, histone mono-ubiquitination has emerged as an important post-transcriptional modification. Two major histone mono-ubiquitination events are the mono-ubiquitination of histone H2A at lysine 119 (H2AK119ub), placed by Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1), and histone H2B lysine 120 mono-ubiquitination (H2BK120ub), placed by the heteromeric RNF20/RNF40 complex. Both of these events play fundamental roles in shaping the chromatin epigenetic landscape and cellular identity. In this review we summarize the current understandings of molecular concepts behind histone mono-ubiquitination, focusing on their recently identified roles in tissue development and pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Idan Cohen
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +972-8-6477593; Fax: +972-8-6477626
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García-Mesa Y, Feito J, Cuendias P, García-Piqueras J, Germanà A, García-Suárez O, Martín-Biedma B, Vega JA. The acquisition of mechanoreceptive competence by human digital Merkel cells and sensory corpuscles during development: an immunohistochemical study of PIEZO2. Ann Anat 2022; 243:151953. [PMID: 35523396 DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2022.151953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND PIEZO2 is a transmembrane protein forming part of an ion channel required for mechanotransduction. In humans, PIEZO2 is present in axon terminals of adult Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles, as well as Merkel cells in Merkel cell-neurite complexes. METHODS To study the acquisition of functional capability for mechanotransduction of developing type I slowly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors, i.e., Merkel cell-neurite complexes, a battery of immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence techniques was performed on human skin specimens covering the whole development and growth, from 11 weeks of estimated gestational age to 20 years of life. In addition, developmental expression of PIEZO2 type I (Meissner's corpuscles) and type II (Pacinian corpuscles) rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors was studied in parallel. RESULTS The first evidence of Merkel cells showing the typical morphology and placement was at 13 weeks of estimated gestation age, and at this time positive immunoreactivity for PIEZO2 was achieved. PIEZO2 expression in axons terminals started at 23 WEGA in Pacinian corpuscles and at 36 WEGA in the case of Meissner corpuscles. The occurrence of PIEZO2 in Merkel cells, Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles was maintained for all the time investigated. Interestingly PIEZO2 was absent in most Aβ type I slowly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors that innervate MC while it was regularly present in most Aβ type I and type II rapidly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors that supplies Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles. CONCLUSION The present results provide evidence that human cutaneous mechanoreceptors could perform mechanotransduction already during embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda García-Mesa
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge Feito
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Patricia Cuendias
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge García-Piqueras
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Antonino Germanà
- Zebrafish Neuromorphology Lab, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Olivia García-Suárez
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Benjamín Martín-Biedma
- Departamento de Cirugía y Especialidades Médico-Quirúrgicas, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - José A Vega
- Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogi Andersen
- Departments of Medicine and Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine
| | - Sarah Millar
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Departments of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology and Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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