2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Investigation of a novel lipase-like transmembrane protein for the discovery of drugs to regulate the epidermal barrier function
| Project/Area Number |
15K15053
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
General pharmacology
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| Research Institution | Osaka University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Research Collaborator |
ISHIKAWA Junko
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
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| Keywords | 表皮バリア / 角質細胞間脂質ラメラ / リパーゼ / リピドミクス |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
The intercellular spaces in stratum corneum are filled with the lamellae of lipids, the structural entity of the epidermal barrier. We previously found that a novel lipase-like protein LIPX is essential for the epidermal barrier function. In this study, by using a LIPX gene knockout mouse strain, we investigated the mechanisms by which LIPX contributes to the formation of the lipid lamellae in the stratum corneum. We revealed that, in the absence of LIPX, the intercellular lipid lamellae formed in the stratum corneum were structurally abnormal. This defect was accompanied with a drastic decrease of ceramides that are essential for the epidermal barrier. We also demonstrated that LIPX is a transmembrane protein specifically expressed in the epidermis. The results of this study contribute to understanding the essential roles of LIPX in the epidermal barrier function and to developing novel medicines to cure the diseases with dysfunction of the epidermal barrier function.
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| Free Research Field |
薬理学
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