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Updated: May 28, 2026

Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Melanocytes
09:38

Direct Reprogramming of Mouse Fibroblasts into Melanocytes

Published on: August 27, 2021

FGF2 regulates melanocytes viability through the STAT3-transactivated PAX3 transcription

L Dong1, Y Li, J Cao

  • 1Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 609 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA.

Cell Death and Differentiation
|October 15, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling regulate paired box 3 (PAX3) in pigment cells. This pathway influences melanocyte number and melanin synthesis, impacting skin pigmentation.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Paired box 3 (PAX3) is crucial for melanocyte development, regulating microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) transcription.
  • The precise regulatory mechanisms of PAX3 activity in pigment cells are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of FGF2-STAT3 signaling in regulating PAX3 transcriptional activity.
  • To elucidate the in vivo function of PAX3 in melanocyte development and pigmentation.

Main Methods:

  • Generation of a transgenic mouse model with PAX3 expression driven by the tyrosinase promoter.
  • Analysis of skin pigmentation, melanocyte number, and melanin synthesis in the generated mouse model.

Main Results:

  • FGF2-STAT3 signaling was identified as a regulator of PAX3 transcriptional activity in pigment cells.
  • Transgenic mice exhibited hyperpigmentation in the epidermis, specifically in ears and tails.
  • Increased melanocyte proliferation and enhanced melanin synthesis contributed to the observed hyperpigmentation.

Conclusions:

  • A novel pathway linking FGF2-STAT3 signaling to increased PAX3 transcription in the melanocyte lineage was delineated.
  • This pathway plays a significant role in regulating melanocyte numbers and melanin levels.
  • The findings suggest a potential strategy for inducing pigmentation through modulation of this pathway.

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