DETECTION OF MESSENGER-RNA TRANSCRIPTS FOR RETINOIC ACID, VITAMIN-D3,AND THYROID-HORMONE (C-ERB-A) NUCLEAR RECEPTORS IN HUMAN SKIN USING REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION AND POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION
H. Torma et al., DETECTION OF MESSENGER-RNA TRANSCRIPTS FOR RETINOIC ACID, VITAMIN-D3,AND THYROID-HORMONE (C-ERB-A) NUCLEAR RECEPTORS IN HUMAN SKIN USING REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION AND POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION, Acta dermato-venereologica, 73(2), 1993, pp. 102-107
Differentiation of keratinocytes involves both non-genomic and genomic
events. The genomic effects are regulated by ligand-dependent transcr
iption factors, e.g. the steroid/thyroid super-family of nuclear recep
tors. In the present study we examined mRNA expression of receptors fo
r retinoic acid, thyroid hormone, and vitamin D3 in normal human skin
and cultured keratinocytes using reverse transcription coupled to the
polymerase chain reaction. The vitamin D3 receptor and the retinoic ac
id receptor (RAR) gamma together with the more distantly related RXRal
pha were amplified extensively in skin and cultured keratinocytes. RAR
alpha was amplified at a lower level, and RARbeta was almost undetecta
ble. The thyroid hormone receptors alpha1 and beta1 were weakly amplif
ied, but to comparable levels. Because receptors for retinoic acid, th
yroid hormones, and vitamin D3 are all expressed in human epidermis di
fferentiation of keratinocytes is probably regulated at transcriptiona
l level by these molecules. It remains to be seen whether alterations
in the expression of the nuclear receptors occur in certain skin disor
ders.