| First Author | Weber M | Year | 2023 |
| Journal | J Invest Dermatol | PubMed ID | 37257637 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:338212 | Mgi Id | MGI:7511186 |
| Doi | 10.1016/j.jid.2023.04.031 | Citation | Weber M, et al. (2023) Merkel Cell Polyomavirus T Antigen-Mediated Reprogramming in Adult Merkel Cell Progenitors. J Invest Dermatol |
| abstractText | Whether Merkel cells regenerate in adult skin and from which progenitor cells they regenerate are a subject of debate. Understanding Merkel cell regeneration is of interest to the study of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare neuroendocrine skin cancer hypothesized to originate in a Merkel cell progenitor transformed by Merkel cell polyomavirus small and large T antigens. We sought to understand what the adult Merkel cell progenitors are and whether they can give rise to Merkel cell carcinoma. We used lineage tracing to identify SOX9-expressing cells (SOX9+ cells) as Merkel cell progenitors in postnatal murine skin. Merkel cell regeneration from SOX9+ progenitors occurs rarely in mature skin unless in response to minor mechanical injury. Merkel cell polyomavirus small T antigen and functional imitation of large T antigen in SOX9+ cells enforced neuroendocrine and Merkel cell lineage reprogramming in a subset of cells. These results identify SOX9+ cells as postnatal Merkel cell progenitors that can be reprogrammed by Merkel cell polyomavirus T antigens to express neuroendocrine markers. |
