Mimicking Darier Disease In Vitro: A Human Epidermal Organoid Approach

Darier disease (DD) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the ATP2A2 gene, resulting in calcium dysregulation and impaired keratinocyte adhesion. Due to the paucity of suitable models, understanding the molecular mechanisms of DD has been challenging. In this study, we developed a human epidermal organoid model derived from DD patient keratinocytes to investigate the molecular and phenotypic features of the disease. The model recapitulates key aspects of DD pathology, including acantholysis, desmosomal dysfunction and barrier disruption, with mislocalisation of desmosomal proteins. Furthermore, the transcriptomic landscape of DD organoids reflected broad perturbations in epidermal structure. Enrichment of pathways associated with epidermal development, cell adhesion, cell migration and keratinocyte differentiation underscored the multifaceted disruption of epithelial integrity and homeostasis that defines DD pathology. Our work demonstrates that epidermal organoids derived from patients with Darier disease are a valuable model for studying DD. They provide a platform to study complex genetic epidermal disorders and personalised drug screening.