Mikhail A. Nikiforov, PhD, has been awarded a new National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIH/NIAMS) R01 grant titled “Bidirectional Control of Keratinocyte Differentiation and Proliferation by Transcription Factor FOXQ1.” The $2.5 million award will be disbursed over five years, beginning Aug. 1, 2023.
To maintain skin barrier function, epidermal keratinocytes (skin cells) undergo differentiation during which the gene expression programs switch from maintaining cells in a healthy condition to terminal differentiation. Terminally differentiated keratinocytes are essential for the formation of skin barrier which provides protection from allergens, infectious agents, and toxins and at the same time prevents excessive water loss.
In addition, skin homeostasis relies on cytokines, which are small proteins that are crucial in controlling the growth and activity of other immune system cells and blood cells. When released, they signal the immune system to function. Cytokines affect the growth of all blood cells and other cells that help the body's immune and inflammation responses.
Deregulation of cytokines may lead to psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, often referred to as eczema, that affect 2-3 percent of people worldwide. Nikiforov’s lab will employ the grant by functionally interrogating novel regulators of keratinocyte differentiation – the process of cellular maturation from a mitotic state to a terminally differentiated state during which skin builds up a tough yet soft skin barrier to protect the body- as well as autoimmune response. They will investigate both of their roles in chronic inflammatory skin diseases.
Read more about the Nikiforov Lab’s work here.
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Arthritis And Musculoskeletal And Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01AR082911. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”