Notch signaling promotes commitment of keratinocytes to differentiation and suppresses tumorigenesis. p63, a p53 family member, has been implicated in establishment of the keratinocyte cell fate and/or maintenance of epithelial self-renewal. Here we show that p63 expression is suppressed by Notch1 activation in both mouse and human keratinocytes through a mechanism independent of cell cycle withdrawal and requiring down-modulation of selected interferon-responsive genes, including IRF7 and/or IRF3. In turn, elevated p63 expression counteracts the ability of Notch1 to restrict growth and promote differentiation. p63 functions as a selective modulator of Notch1-dependent transcription and function, with the Hes-1 gene as one of its direct negative targets. Thus, a complex cross-talk between Notch and p63 is involved in the balance between keratinocyte self-renewal and differentiation. Normal tissue homeostasis is determined by a complex interplay between developmental signals and other cell regulatory pathways. Notch cell surface receptors and their ligands belonging to the Delta and Serrate/Jagged families play a crucial role in cell fate determination and differentiation, functioning in a cell-and context-specific manner (Artavanis-Tsakonas et al. 1999). In mammalian cells, Notch activation is generally thought to maintain stem cell potential and inhibit differentiation, thereby promoting carcinogenesis (Artavanis-Tsakonas et al. 1999). However, in specific cell types such as keratinocytes, increased Notch activity causes exit from the cell cycle and commitment to differentiation (Lowell et al. 2000;Rangarajan et al. 2001;Nickoloff et al. 2002), whereas down-modulation or loss of Notch1 function promotes carcinogenesis (Talora et al. 2002;Nicolas et al. 2003).In the human epidermis, localized expression of the Notch-ligand Delta in putative "stem cells" has been proposed to induce commitment of neighboring Notch1-expressing keratinocytes to a "transit-amplifying" phenotype, through a negative feedback mechanism of lateral inhibition (Lowell et al. 2000). On the other hand, in both mouse and human epidermis, Jagged 1/2, Notch1, and Notch2 are coexpressed in differentiating keratinocytes of the supra-basal layers, consistent with a positive feedback loop between these molecules that serves to reinforce and synchronize Notch activation with differentiation (Luo et al. 1997;Rangarajan et al. 2001;Nickoloff et al. 2002).The best characterized "canonical" pathway of Notch activation involves proteolytic cleavage and translocation of the cytoplasmic domain of the receptor to the nucleus, where it associates with the DNA-binding protein RBP-J (CBF-1, CSL), converting it from a repressor

p63, a p53 family member, is highly expressed in the basal proliferative compartment of the epidermis and its expression has been correlated with the growth ability and regenerative capacity of keratinocytes. In this study we report a mechanism through which p63 maintains cell cycle progression by directly repressing miR-34a and miR-34c. In the absence of p63, increased levels of miR-34a and miR-34c were observed in primary keratinocytes and in embryonic skin, with concomitant G1-phase arrest and inhibition of the cell cycle regulators cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4). p63 directly bound to p53-consensus sites in both miR-34a and miR-34c regulatory regions and inhibited their activity. Concomitant downregulation of miR-34a and miR-34c substantially restored cell cycle progression and expression of cyclin D1 and Cdk4. Our data indicate that specific miR-34 family members have a significant role downstream of p63 in controlling epidermal cell proliferation.

Ankyloblepharon-ectodermal defects-cleft lip/palate (AEC) syndrome, which is characterized by cleft palate and severe defects of the skin, is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding transcription factor p63. Here, we report the generation of a knock-in mouse model for AEC syndrome (p63+/L514F) that recapitulates the human disorder. The AEC mutation exerts a selective dominant-negative function on wild-type p63 by affecting progenitor cell expansion during ectodermal development leading to a defective epidermal stem cell compartment. These phenotypes are associated with impairment of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling resulting from reduced expression of Fgfr2 and Fgfr3, direct p63 target genes. In parallel, a defective stem cell compartment is observed in humans affected by AEC syndrome and in Fgfr2b−/− mice. Restoring Fgfr2b expression in p63+/L514F epithelial cells by treatment with FGF7 reactivates downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling and cell proliferation. These findings establish a functional link between FGF signalling and p63 in the expansion of epithelial progenitor cells and provide mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of AEC syndrome.

p63, a p53 family member, is essential for the development of various stratified epithelia and is one of the earliest markers of many ectodermal structures, including the epidermis, oral mucosa, apical ectodermal ridge, and mammary gland. Genetic regulatory mechanisms controlling p63 spatial expression during development have not yet been defined. Using a genomic approach, we identified an evolutionarily conserved cis-regulatory element, located 160 kb downstream of the first p63 exon, which functions as a keratinocyte-specific enhancer and is sufficient to recapitulate expression of the endogenous gene during mouse embryogenesis. Dissection of the p63 enhancer activity revealed a positive autoregulatory loop in which the p63 proteins directly bind to and are essential regulators of the enhancer. Accordingly, transactivating p63 isoforms induce endogenous p63 expression in cells that do not normally express this gene, whereas dominant negative isoforms suppress p63 expression in keratinocytes. In addition the transcription factor AP-2 also binds to the enhancer and cooperates with p63 to induce its activity. These results demonstrate that a long-range autoregulatory loop is involved in the regulation of p63 expression during embryonic development and in adult cells.

Pterygium syndromes are complex congenital disorders that encompass several distinct clinical conditions characterized by multiple skin webs affecting the flexural surfaces often accompanied by craniofacial anomalies. In severe forms, such as in the autosomal-recessive Bartsocas-Papas syndrome, early lethality is common, complicating the identification of causative mutations. Using exome sequencing in a consanguineous family, we identified the homozygous mutation c.1127C>A in exon 7 of RIPK4 that resulted in the introduction of the nonsense mutation p.Ser376X into the encoded ankyrin repeat-containing kinase, a protein that is essential for keratinocyte differentiation. Subsequently, we identified a second mutation in exon 2 of RIPK4 (c.242T>A) that resulted in the missense variant p.Ile81Asn in the kinase domain of the protein. We have further demonstrated that RIPK4 is a direct transcriptional target of the protein p63, a master regulator of stratified epithelial development, which acts as a nodal point in the cascade of molecular events that prevent pterygium syndromes.

Ankyloblepharon, ectodermal defects, cleft lip/palate (AEC) syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the p63 gene, essential for embryonic development of stratified epithelia. The most severe cutaneous manifestation of this disorder is the long-lasting skin fragility associated with severe skin erosions after birth. Using a knock-in mouse model for AEC syndrome, we found that skin fragility was associated with microscopic blistering between the basal and suprabasal compartments of the epidermis and reduced desmosomal contacts. Expression of desmosomal cadherins and desmoplakin was strongly reduced in AEC mutant keratinocytes and in newborn epidermis. A similar impairment in desmosome gene expression was observed in human keratinocytes isolated from AEC patients, in p63-depleted keratinocytes and in p63 null embryonic skin, indicating that p63 mutations causative of AEC syndrome have a dominant-negative effect on the wild-type p63 protein. Among the desmosomal components, desmocollin 3, desmoplakin and desmoglein 1 were the most significantly reduced by mutant p63 both at the RNA and protein levels. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments and transactivation assays revealed that p63 controls these genes at the transcriptional level. Consistent with reduced desmosome function, AEC mutant and p63-deficient keratinocytes had an impaired ability to withstand mechanical stress, which was alleviated by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors known to stabilize desmosomes. Our study reveals that p63 is a crucial regulator of a subset of desmosomal genes and that this function is impaired in AEC syndrome. Reduced mechanical strength resulting from p63 mutations can be alleviated pharmacologically by increasing desmosome adhesion with possible therapeutic implications.

Genome-wide identification of bona-fide targets of transcription factors in mammalian cells is still a challenge. We present a novel integrated computational and experimental approach to identify direct targets of a transcription factor. This consists of measuring time-course (dynamic) gene expression profiles upon perturbation of the transcription factor under study, and in applying a novel "reverse-engineering" algorithm (TSNI) to rank genes according to their probability of being direct targets. Using primary keratinocytes as a model system, we identified novel transcriptional target genes of TRP63, a crucial regulator of skin development. TSNI-predicted TRP63 target genes were validated by Trp63 knockdown and by ChIP-chip to identify TRP63-bound regions in vivo. Our study revealed that short sampling times, in the order of minutes, are needed to capture the dynamics of gene expression in mammalian cells. We show that TRP63 transiently regulates a subset of its direct targets, thus highlighting the importance of considering temporal dynamics when identifying transcriptional targets. Using this approach, we uncovered a previously unsuspected transient regulation of the AP-1 complex by TRP63 through direct regulation of a subset of AP-1 components. The integrated experimental and computational approach described here is readily applicable to other transcription factors in mammalian systems and is complementary to genome-wide identification of transcription-factor binding sites.

Epithelial tumor progression often involves epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We report that increased intracellular levels of thyroid hormone (TH) promote the EMT and malignant evolution of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells. TH induces the EMT by transcriptionally up-regulating ZEB-1, mesenchymal genes and metalloproteases and suppresses E-cadherin expression. Accordingly, in human SCC, elevated D2 (the T3-producing enzyme) correlates with tumor grade and is associated with an increased risk of postsurgical relapse and shorter disease-free survival. These data provide the first in vivo demonstration that TH and its activating enzyme, D2, play an effective role not only in the EMT but also in the entire neoplastic cascade starting from tumor formation up to metastatic transformation, and supports the concept that TH is an EMT promoter. Our studies indicate that tumor progression relies on precise T3 availability, suggesting that pharmacological inactivation of D2 and TH signaling may suppress the metastatic proclivity of SCC.