1. ¹Laboratory of Cellular Carcinogenesis and Tumor Promotion, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
2. ²Department of Dermatology, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany

Correspondence: Dr Stuart H. Yuspa, Laboratory of Cellular Carcinogenesis and Tumor Promotion, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Drive, MSC-4255, Building 37, Room 4068A, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4255, USA. E-mail: yuspas@mail.nih.gov

Received 2 September 2005; Revised 14 December 2005; Accepted 4 January 2006; Published online 9 March 2006.

Abstract

The calcium-binding proteins of the human S100A7/A15 (hS100A7/A15) subfamily are differentially expressed in normal and pathological epidermis. The hS100A7 (psoriasin) and S100A15 reside in a chromosomal cluster of highly similar paralogs. To exploit the power of mouse models for determining functions of gene products, the corresponding S100A7/A15 ortholog was cloned and examined in murine skin. The single mouse S100A15 (mS100A15) gene encodes a protein of 104 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 12,870 Da and two EF-hand calcium binding sites. Using gene-specific primers and specific antibodies, expression of mS100A15 in both skin and isolated keratinocytes is confined to differentiating granular and cornified epidermal cells. Immunoblotting of epidermal extracts revealed a series of high molecular weight bands that are also recognized by an antibody for transglutaminase-mediated protein crosslinks. mS100A15 expression is upregulated in cultured keratinocytes induced to differentiate by calcium or phorbol esters. Maximal induction occurs concordantly with expression of late differentiation markers. Induction is enhanced in keratinocytes overexpressing protein kinase C and is dependent on activator protein-1 transcription factors. The regulation, expression pattern and crosslinking of mS100A15 are consistent with the characteristics of the human orthologs, providing a valid surrogate model to study changes in these proteins associated with cutaneous pathologies.