RESEARCH ARTICLE 3837 SPRR4, a novel cornified envelope precursor: UV- dependent epidermal expression and selective incorporation into fragile envelopes Adriana Cabral1, Arzu Sayin1, Sandrine de Winter2, David F. Fischer1, Stan Pavel2 and Claude Backendorf1,* 1Department of Molecular Genetics, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, PO Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands 2Department of Dermatology, Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands *Author for correspondence (e-mail:
[email protected]) Accepted 16 July 2001 Journal of Cell Science 114, 3837-3843 (2001) © The Company of Biologists Ltd SUMMARY The cornified cell envelope (CE), a structure formed in translocation of an SPRR4-GFP fusion protein to the cell the outermost layers of stratified squamous epithelia, periphery in living keratinocytes and its integration into provides a physical barrier against environmental both rigid and fragile cornified envelopes proved that insults. It is composed of several structural proteins, SPRR4 is a novel CE precursor. Interestingly, after UV which are irreversibly crosslinked by calcium-activated irradiation, SPRR4 was selectively incorporated into transglutaminases. The small proline rich proteins fragile CEs. Our results show for the first time that UV- (SPRRs) are one set of CE precursors. SPRR4, a novel induced cornification is accompanied by qualitative member of this gene family, displayed very low or changes in CE precursor assembly. SPRR4 is part of an undetectable expression levels in normal human skin or adaptive tissue response to environmental stress, which is other stratified squamous epithelia, but was clearly induced likely to compensate for UV induced impairment of the by UV light both in vivo and in vitro.