Alkaline Ceramidase 1 Protects Mice from Premature Hair Loss by Maintaining the Homeostasis of Hair Follicle Stem Cells.

Abstract

Ceramides and their metabolites are important for the homeostasis of the epidermis, but much remains unknown about the roles of specific pathways of ceramide metabolism in skin biology. With a mouse model deficient in the alkaline ceramidase (Acer1) gene, we demonstrate that ACER1 plays a key role in the homeostasis of the epidermis and its appendages by controlling the metabolism of ceramides. Loss of Acer1 elevated the levels of various ceramides and sphingoid bases in the skin and caused progressive hair loss in mice. Mechanistic studies revealed that loss of Acer1 widened follicular infundibulum and caused progressive loss of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) due to reduced survival and stemness. These results suggest that ACER1 plays a key role in maintaining the homeostasis of HFSCs, and thereby the hair follicle structure and function, by regulating the metabolism of ceramides in the epidermis.

• Authors: Chih-Li Lin, Ruijuan Xu, Jae Kyo Yi, Fang Li, Jiang Chen, Evan C Jones, Jordan B Slutsky, Liqun Huang, Basil Rigas, Jian Cao, Xiaoming Zhong, Ashley J Snider, Lina M Obeid, Yusuf A Hannun, Cungui Mao
• Journal: Stem cell reports (Stem Cell Reports) Vol. 9 Issue 5 Pg. 1488-1500 (11 14 2017) ISSN: 2213-6711 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 29056331 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Ceramides
• Acer1 protein, mouse
• Alkaline Ceramidase

Topics

• Alkaline Ceramidase (genetics, metabolism)
• Alopecia (genetics, pathology)
• Animals
• Cell Differentiation
• Cell Proliferation
• Cells, Cultured
• Ceramides (metabolism)
• Female
• Hair Follicle (cytology, metabolism, pathology)
• Homeostasis
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Stem Cells (cytology, metabolism)