Objective: To investigate the effects of PRX-2 gene on phenotype changes in epidermal stem cells differentiating into sweat gland cells.
Methods: Epidermal stem cells and sweat gland cells separated and cultured from healthy foreskin and adult full-thick skin respectively, were identified by immunofluorescence staining. Lentiviral vector-mediated overexpression and knockdown of PRX-2 gene in epidermal stem cells were performed respectively,with empty vector-mediated epidermal stem cells as a control group. Overexpression blank control and know down group's PRX-2 expressions in gene and protein levels were detected using RT-PCR and Western blot technology. The ESCs of each group were co-cultured with sweat gland cells through transwell plate, and the expressions of CEA and β1 integrin in epidermal stem cells were determined by flow cytometry before and after co-culturing.
Results: Epidermal stem cells and sweat gland cells were in line with their respective specific antigens .Before co-cultured, epidermal stem cells highly expressed β1 integrin (98.69 ± 0.67)％,hardly expressed CEA (6.20 ± 3.15)％.After co-cultured,β1 integrin expression levels were showed as knockdown group (19.30 ± 0.53) ％ ＜blank control group (65.77 ± 2.32)％ ＜ overexpress group (92.63 ± 10.97)％,and CEA expression levels as knockdown (95.43 ±2.36)％ ＞ blank control group (51.20 ±0.79)％ ＞ overexpress group (45.91 ±0.93)％.There had significant differences between those of each two groups.
Conclusions: PRX-2 gene can inhibit the phenotypic change of Epidermal Stem Cells differentiating into Sweat Gland Cells and improve the ability to maintain their own specific antigens.