Downregulation of Foxe1 by HR suppresses Msx1 expression in the hair follicles of HrHp mice

Hairless (HR), a transcriptional cofactor, is highly expressed in the skin and brain. To characterize the effects of HR ex-pression in the skin, we examined its capacity for transcrip-tional regulation of its target genes in mouse skin and keratinocytes. We found that Foxe1 mRNA expression was suppressed in HR-overexpressing skin, as well as in HR-ex-pressing keratinocytes. In turn, Msx1 expression was down-regulated contingent on Foxe1 downregulation in skin and keratinocytes. We also found that expression of Sfrp1 was also correlated with that of Foxe1. Further investigation of the mechanisms involved in the transcriptional regulation of these genes will facilitate our understanding of the relationship among genes involved in hair follicle morphogenesis and cycling. [BMB reports 2011; 44(7): 478-483