1. Expression of interferon-beta is associated with growth arrest of murine and human epidermal cells.
- Author
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Bielenberg DR, McCarty MF, Bucana CD, Yuspa SH, Morgan D, Arbeit JM, Ellis LM, Cleary KR, and Fidler IJ
- Subjects
- Animals, Antibodies pharmacology, Calcium physiology, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell metabolism, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell pathology, Cell Differentiation, Cell Division physiology, Cells, Cultured, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Interferon-beta immunology, Interferon-beta pharmacology, Interferon-beta physiology, Keratin-14, Keratinocytes cytology, Keratinocytes metabolism, Keratins biosynthesis, Membrane Proteins biosynthesis, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Mice, Transgenic, Skin Neoplasms metabolism, Skin Neoplasms pathology, Time Factors, Epidermal Cells, Epidermis metabolism, Interferon-beta biosynthesis
- Abstract
The cytokine interferon-beta is a regulator of cell replication and function, including invasion and induction of angiogenesis. The goal of this study was to determine whether the expression of interferon-beta by cells in the epidermis correlated with terminal differentiation. In situ hybridization analysis and immunohistochemical staining of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens of normal human and murine epidermis and human and murine skin tumors of epithelial origin revealed that only differentiated, nondividing cells of the epidermis expressed interferon-beta protein. Keratinocyte cultures established from the epidermis of 3 d old mice were maintained under conditions permitting continuous cell division or induction of differentiation. Continuously dividing cells did not produce interferon-beta whereas nondividing differentiated cells expressing keratin 1 did. Growth-arrested, undifferentiated keratinocytes also expressed interferon-beta protein. Neutralizing interferon-beta in the culture medium inhibited differentiation, but the addition of exogenous interferon-beta did not stimulate differentiation. These data indicate that interferon-beta is produced by growth-arrested, terminally differentiated keratinocytes.
- Published
- 1999
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