Experimental Dermatology / Inactivation of autophagy leads to changes in sebaceous gland morphology and function

We have reported recently that inactivation of the essential autophagyrelated gene 7 (Atg7) in keratinocytes has little or no impact on morphology and function of the epidermal barrier in experimental animals. When these mice aged, mutant males, (Atg7 KC), developed an oily coat. As the keratin 14 promoter driven cre/LoxP system inactivates floxed Atg7 in all keratin 14 (K14) expressing cells, including sebocytes, we investigated whether the oily hair phenotype was the consequence of changes in function of the skin sebaceous glands. Using an antibody to the GFPLC3 fusion protein, autophagosomes were detected at the border of sebocyte disintegration in control but not in mutant animals, suggesting that autophagy was (a) active in normal sebaceous glands and (b) was inactivated in the mutant mice. Detailed analysis established that dorsal sebaceous glands were about twice as large in all Atg7 KC mice compared to those of controls (Atg7 F/F), and their rate of sebocyte proliferation was increased. In addition, male mutant mice yielded twice as much lipid per unit hair as agematched controls. Analysis of sebum lipids by thin layer chromatography revealed a 40% reduction in the proportion of free fatty acids (FFA) and cholesterol, and a 5fold increase in the proportion of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). In addition, the most common diester wax species (5860 carbon atoms) were increased, while shorter species (5455 carbon atoms) were underrepresented in mutant sebum. Our data show that autophagy contributes to sebaceous gland function and to the control of sebum composition.(VLID)339839