PhD Student Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Republic of Korea
Abstract: Adult stem cells and their niches communicate intricately for tissue maintenance and regeneration. However, effectively coordinating these complex interactions is challenging. Here, we demonstrate that transient dedifferentiation of epithelial stem cell progenies orchestrates beneficial changes within the entire skin’s cellular networks to favor repair. We achieved this by inducing a reversible expression of reprogramming factors (Oct-4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc) in the mouse epidermis. This in vivo partial epidermal reprogramming not only affected the reprogrammed cells, but also their microenvironment, including neighboring epithelial cells and T cells, conferring widespread healing characteristics even in the absence of injury. When a wound was introduced, these collective changes accelerated re-epithelialization. Furthermore, the effects extended to dermal healing, leading to reduced scarring and angiogenesis. In conclusion, our work reveals that partial reprogramming of the epidermis influences various cell types within the skin during homeostasis and repair, leading to enhanced cutaneous wound healing.
Funding Source: This work was supported by NRF of Korea grants (NRF-2022R1C1C1011895, NRF-2022M3A9D3016848, NRF-RS-2023-00221112, NRF-RS-2023-00223298, NRF-RS-2025-00560319) and BK21 FOUR Research Fellowship funded by the Korean government
