Searching the Resource Information Network

Our searching services are busy right now. Please try again later

  • Register
X
Forgot Password

If you have forgotten your password you can enter your email here and get a temporary password sent to your email.

X

Leaving Community

Are you sure you want to leave this community? Leaving the community will revoke any permissions you have been granted in this community.

No
Yes

Wnt-associated DKK3 in keratinocytes mediates radiation-induced hyperplasia, dermatitis and skin fibrosis.

Li Li | Ramon Lopez Perez | Khuram Shehzad | Richard Jennemann | Claudia Schmidt | Thomas Walle | Alexandra Tietz-Dahlfuß | Elisabeth Grimm | Joscha A Kraske | Peter Häring | Uladzimir Barayeu | Tobias P Dick | Luxi Ye | Stephan A Braun | Michael Hertl | Thomas Worzfeld | Thorsten Wiech | Huihui Ji | Jing Su | Jonathan M Schneeweiss | Muzi Liu | Katharina Kommoss | Matthias Heikenwälder | Bingwen Zou | Sabrina Mücklich | Kerstin Steinbrink | Verena K Raker | Wenjun Wu | Elfriede Noessner | Hermann-Josef Gröne | Peter J Nelson | Roger Sandhoff | Peter E Huber
Signal transduction and targeted therapy | 2026

Radiotherapy remains a mainstay of cancer treatment. However, radiotherapy can also elicit acute and chronic adverse effects, including dermal inflammation and skin fibrosis. A comprehensive understanding of the underlying fibrotic processes remains elusive, and currently, no established treatment options exist. Canonical Wnt signaling has emerged as a significant player in fibrotic conditions. The Dickkopf (DKK) protein family comprises key modulators of Wnt signaling. To define the function of DKK3 in radiation-induced skin damage, we combined complementary in vivo and in vitro approaches, including a 3D human skin model, mice with cell-type-specific Dkk3 deletions, and irradiated human skin specimens. Our study revealed the pivotal role of DKK3 in regulating the response of the skin to radiation, with diminished DKK3 significantly mitigating radiation-induced skin damage. We found that radiation increases DKK3 expression in basal keratinocytes, leading to elevated ROS levels, TGF-β-mediated Wnt activation, epidermal hyperplasia, and subsequent skin fibrosis. Increased keratinocyte expression of DKK3 also drives macrophage polarization toward a CD163highCD206high profibrotic M2 phenotype, activating myofibroblasts and leading to fibrosis. Notably, DKK3 deficiency in keratinocytes markedly reduces radiation-induced dermal hyperplasia and fibrosis, identifying DKK3 as a key regulator of cutaneous radiation responses. These findings position DKK3 as a promising upstream modulator of TGF-β signaling for mitigating radiation-induced dermatitis and fibrosis, with potential relevance to other fibrotic diseases.

Pubmed ID: 41629266

Research resources used in this publication

None found

Antibodies used in this publication

None found

Associated grants

  • Agency: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation),
    Id: TR156 C06-246807620
  • Agency: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation),
    Id: SFB/TR156 start-up grant
  • Agency: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation),
    Id: SFB1009 B11-194468054
  • Agency: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation),
    Id: TR156 A04/C05-246807620
  • Agency: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation),
    Id: SFB1066 B06-213555243
  • Agency: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation),
    Id: SFB1450 C06-431460824
  • Agency: China Scholarship Council (CSC),
    Id: Research Grant
  • Agency: Deutsche Krebshilfe (German Cancer Aid),
    Id: Research Grant
  • Agency: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Federal Ministry of Education and Research),
    Id: BMBF/BMU: 03NUK004A,C

Publication data is provided by the National Library of Medicine ® and PubMed ®. Data is retrieved from PubMed ® on a weekly schedule. For terms and conditions see the National Library of Medicine Terms and Conditions.

This is a list of tools and resources that we have found mentioned in this publication.


Fiji (tool)

RRID:SCR_002285

Software package as distribution of ImageJ and ImageJ2 together with Java, Java3D and plugins organized into coherent menu structure. Used to assist research in life sciences.

View all literature mentions

geNORM (tool)

RRID:SCR_006763

Software to determine most stable reference (housekeeping) genes from set of tested candidate reference genes in given sample panel. From this, gene expression normalization factor can be calculated for each sample based geometric mean of user-defined number of reference genes.

View all literature mentions

FlowJo (tool)

RRID:SCR_008520

Software for single-cell flow cytometry analysis. Its functions include management, display, manipulation, analysis and publication of the data stream produced by flow and mass cytometers.

View all literature mentions

Abcam (tool)

RRID:SCR_012931

A commercial antibody supplier which supplies primary and secondary antibodies, biochemicals, proteins, peptides, lysates, immunoassays and other kits.

View all literature mentions

Microsoft Excel (tool)

RRID:SCR_016137

Software application with data analysis tools and spreadsheet templates to track and visualize data. It is used to manage and process data.

View all literature mentions

Addgene (tool)

RRID:SCR_002037

Non-profit plasmid repository dedicated to helping scientists around the world share high-quality plasmids. Facilitates archiving and distributing DNA-based research reagents and associated data to scientists worldwide. Repository contains over 65,000 plasmids, including special collections on CRISPR, fluorescent proteins, and ready-to-use viral preparations. There is no cost for scientists to deposit plasmids, which saves time and money associated with shipping plasmids themselves. All plasmids are fully sequenced for validation and sequencing data is openly available. We handle the appropriate Material Transfer Agreements (MTA) with institutions, facilitating open exchange and offering intellectual property and liability protection for depositing scientists. Furthermore, we curate free educational resources for the scientific community including a blog, eBooks, video protocols, and detailed molecular biology resources.

View all literature mentions