Epidermal glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors act cooperatively to regulate epidermal development and counteract skin inflammation

Abstract

Endogenous and synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) regulate epidermal development and combat skin inflammatory diseases. GC actions can be mediated through the GC receptor (GR) and/or the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), highly homologous ligand-activated transcription factors. While the role of GR as a potent anti-inflammatory mediator is well known, that of MR is not as clear, nor is whether these receptors cooperate or antagonize each other in the epidermis. To address this, we generated mice with epidermal-specific loss of both receptors (double knockout, DKO), and analyzed the phenotypical and functional consequences relative to single KOs or controls (CO). At birth, DKO epidermis displayed a phenotype of defective differentiation and inflammation, which was more severe than in either single KO, featuring neutrophil-containing infiltrates, and gene dysregulation characteristic of human psoriatic lesions. This phenotype resolved spontaneously. However, in adulthood, single or combined loss of GC receptors increased susceptibility to inflammation and hyperproliferation triggered by phorbol ester which, different to CO, was not effectively counteracted by GC treatment. Also, DKOs were more susceptible to imiquimod-induced psoriasis than CO showing severe defective epidermal differentiation and microabcesses while single KOs showed an intermediate response. Immortalized DKO keratinocytes featured increased proliferation kinetics and reduced cell size, a unique phenotype relative to single KO cells. The lack of GR and MR in keratinocytes, individual or combined, caused constitutive increases in p38 and ERK activities, which were partially reversed upon reinsertion of receptors into DKO cells. DKO keratinocytes also displayed significant increases in AP-1 and NF-κB transcriptional activities, which were partially rescued by ERK and p38 inhibition, respectively. Reinsertion of GR and MR in DKO keratinocytes resulted in physical and cooperative functional interactions that restored the transcriptional response to GCs. In conclusion, our data have revealed that epidermal GR and MR act cooperatively to regulate epidermal development and counteract skin inflammation.