Toll-like receptor signaling induces the expression of lympho-epithelial Kazal-type inhibitor in epidermal keratinocytes.

BACKGROUND

Lympho-epithelial Kazal-type inhibitor (LEKTI) tightly controls the activities of serine proteases such as kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK) 5 and KLK7 in the epidermis. LEKTI is known to be an essential molecule for the epidermal skin barrier, as demonstrated by SPINK5 nonsense mutation, which results in Netherton syndrome. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns or damage-associated molecular patterns and produce inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and antimicrobial peptides. However, the effect of TLR signaling on the expression of LEKTI is not clear.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether TLR signaling can affect expression of LEKTI in epidermal keratinocytes.

METHODS

We stimulated a panel of TLR ligands and investigated the expression of LEKTI in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs). We further measured trypsin or chymotrypsin-like serine protease activity in NHEK cultured media under stimulation with TLR3 ligand, poly (I:C). Immunostaining for LEKTI was performed using skin samples from skin infectious diseases.

RESULTS

TLR1/2, 3, 5, and 2/6 ligands induced the expression of LEKTI in NHEKs. The trypsin or chymotrypsin-like serine protease activity in NHEKs was up-regulated with the stimulation of poly (I:C). The gene expressions of KLK6, KLK10, KLK11, and KLK13 were also increased by poly (I:C). An immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the expression of LEKTI was up-regulated in the lesions of varicella, pyoderma, and rosacea.

CONCLUSIONS

TLR signaling induces the expression of LEKTI in epidermal keratinocytes, which might contribute to the control of aberrant serine protease activities in inflammatory skin diseases.