RNA interference mediated JAM-A gene silencing promotes human epidermal stem cell proliferation

The objective of the study was to explore the influence of junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A) gene decoration on proliferation and differentiation of human epidermal stem cells (hEpSCs). JAM-A gene and JAM-A interference gene lentivirus eukaryotic expression vectors were established. The recombinant lentivirus was introduced into hEpSCs to observe and detect viral transfection by fluorescence microscopy and Western blot, respectively. After confirmation of successful introduction of the target gene, cell growth curves were mapped out by cytometry to detect cell proliferation in different groups. The expression of hEpSCs labeled molecules was detected by immunofluorescence, and cell safety was detected by teratoma test in all groups. (1) Fluorescence microscopy showed that in the JAM-A over-expression (JAM-A(ov) EpSCs) group, the green fluorescence was mainly distributed in the cell membrane; in the JAM-A interference (JAM-A(kd) EpSCs) group and blank vector (GFP EpSCs) group, all cell bodies were luminous. Western blot showed that JAM-A protein was up-regulated in JAM-A(ov) EpSCs and down-regulated in JAM-A(kd) EpSCs. (2) Growth curves showed that hEpSCs entered the quick-growing phase 4 days after inoculation and reached the platform phase at day 7. JAM-A(ov) EpSCs proliferated more slowly than GFP EpSCs, while JAM-A(kd) EpSCs proliferated significantly faster than GFP EpSCs. (3) Immunofluorescence showed that the expression of transient amplification epidermal marker keratin 14, hEpSCs marker keratin I9 and β-integrin was down-regulated in JAM-A(kd) EpSCs group as compared to that in the GFP EpSCs group, and the expression of epidermal terminal differentiation marker K10 was negative in the JAM-A(kd) EpSCs group. There was no significant difference in the expression of specific molecules between JAM-A(ov) EpSCs and hEpSCs. (4) The result of teratoma test was negative in all groups. The proliferative ability of hEpSCs was increased markedly after down-regulation of JAM-A. Cells presented initial differentiation, but retained their stem cell characteristics without evidence of tumorigenesis.