SFRP5 inhibits melanin synthesis of melanocytes in vitiligo by suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Genes and Diseases

Adelina Inggawati¹  Jin Chen¹  Ling-Zhao Zhang¹  Yu-Jie Zhang¹  Yang-Mei Chen¹  Pham Thi Kieu Nguyet¹  Dao-Pei Zou¹  Tian-Wen Gao²  Xiao-Hui Yuan³ 

[1]Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, PR China

[2]Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shanxi Province, 710032, PR China

[3]Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, PR China

关键词: Melanin synthesis;    Melanocytes;    MITF;    SFRP5;    Vitiligo;    Wnt signaling;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5) plays a pivotal role in regulating the development of many tissues and organs, however, as an inhibitor of Wnt signaling, the role of SFRP5 in vitiligo remains unknown. Hence, we speculated that SFRP5 might be associated with melanogenesis in melanocytes by regulating Wnt signaling in vitiligo. In this study, we found that SFRP5 was overexpressed in the skin lesions of patients with vitiligo. Compared with that in normal epidermal melanocytes (PIG1), the expression of SFRP5 was increased in vitiligo melanocytes (PIG3V). To investigate the effect of SFRP5 on melanin synthesis, PIG1 cells were infected with recombinant SFRP5 adenovirus (AdSFRP5), and PIG3V cells were infected with recombinant siSFRP5 adenovirus (AdsiSFRP5). The results showed that SFRP5 overexpression inhibited melanin synthesis in PIG1 cells through downregulation of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and its target proteins via suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Accordingly, SFRP5 silencing increased melanin synthesis and activated the Wnt signaling pathway in PIG3V cells. Moreover, SFRP5 overexpression also downregulated the transcriptional activity of T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) in PIG1 cells. Furthermore, this inhibitory effect of SFRP5 on melanin synthesis was reversed by treatment with the β-catenin agonist, SKL2001. The inhibitory action of SFRP5 in pigmentation was further confirmed in vivo using a nude mouse model. Hence, our results indicate that SFRP5 can inhibit melanogenesis in melanocytes. Additionally, our findings showed that SFRP5 plays a vital role in the development of vitiligo, and thus may serve as a potential therapeutic target for vitiligo.

【 授权许可】

Unknown