Spatiotemporal Expression, Distribution, and Processing of POMC and POMC-derived Peptides in Murine Skin

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Abstract
In murine skin, after depilation-induced anagen, there was a differential spatial and temporal expression of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA, of the POMC-derived peptides β-endorphin, ACTH, β-MSH, and α-MSH, and of the prohormone convertases PC1 and PC2 in epidermal and hair follicle keratinocytes and in the cells of sebaceous units. Using a combination of in situ hybridization histochemistry and immunohistochemistry, we found cell-specific variations in the expression of POMC mRNA that were consistent with immunoreactivities for POMC-derived peptides. Cells that contained POMC peptide immunoreactivity (IR) also expressed POMC mRNA, and where the IR increased there was a parallel increase in mRNA. The levels of PC1-IR and PC2-IR also showed cell-specific variations and were present in the same cells that contained the POMC peptides. Based on the cleavage specificities of these convertases and on the spatial and temporal expression of the convertases and of ACTH, β-endorphin, β-MSH, and α-MSH, we can infer that the activities of PC1 and PC2 are responsible for the cell-specific differential processing of POMC in murine skin.

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