DDR1 and DDR2 are expressed in skin but their expression differs according to the skin compartment, epidermis, dermis, hypodermis and to the embryonic origin of the cells. In skin, it seems that during physiological processes such as wound healing or pathological processes such as tumorigenesis or systemic sclerosis development only one of the DDR is dysregulated. Furthermore, the altered DDR in pathological process is not necessarily the DDR implicated in basal homeostasis. Indeed, in epidermis, while DDR1 is the main DDR involved in melanocyte homeostasis, DDR2 seems to be the main DDR implicated in melanoma. On the contrary, in dermis, while DDR2 is necessary for normal wound healing, dysregulation of DDR1 is associated with abnormal wound healing leading to keloid. In conclusion, targeting DDR could be a therapeutic solution, however side effects have to be managed carefully.
Keywords: CCN3; Melanocyte; cadherin; cell adhesive proteins; fibroblast; integrins; keratinocyte.