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Type 3 inflammation–specific keratinocyte glutaminolysis promotes skin inflammation
Yongfei Hu, Hai Yu, Kaiyu Liang, Liyan Yuan, Wenjun Zhang, Zhe Zhuang, Suyun Ji, Xichun Xia
Yongfei Hu, Hai Yu, Kaiyu Liang, Liyan Yuan, Wenjun Zhang, Zhe Zhuang, Suyun Ji, Xichun Xia
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Research Article Dermatology Metabolism

Type 3 inflammation–specific keratinocyte glutaminolysis promotes skin inflammation

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Abstract

Inflammatory cytokines reprogram keratinocyte metabolism, but the metabolic pathways that couple immune signals to pathological epidermal growth remain incompletely defined. Here, we identify glutaminase 1–mediated (GLS1-mediated) glutaminolysis as a metabolic program preferentially induced in keratinocytes under type 3 inflammatory conditions. Integrated transcriptomic, metabolomic, genetic, and functional analyses showed that IL-17A induced GLS1 expression and glutaminolysis in keratinocytes. Keratinocyte-specific Gls1 deletion reduced the intracellular availability of arginine, proline, and methionine, impaired amino acid–dependent mTORC1 activation, disrupted redox homeostasis, and limited keratinocyte proliferation. Amino acid or antioxidant supplementation partially rescued these defects, whereas rapamycin blocked the amino acid–mediated proliferative rescue. Gls1 deletion did not impair steady-state skin development or homeostasis and did not alter MC903-induced type 2 dermatitis, but it delayed wound re-epithelialization and attenuated imiquimod-induced psoriasiform inflammation. Loss of keratinocyte GLS1 also reduced epidermal chemokine expression and the accumulation of neutrophils and IL-17A–producing γδ T cells, revealing a role for glutaminolysis in amplifying epithelial-immune crosstalk. These findings define GLS1-mediated glutaminolysis as a context-specific metabolic checkpoint linking type 3 inflammation to keratinocyte proliferation and cutaneous immune amplification, and support locally or temporally controlled GLS1 inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy for psoriasis.

Authors

Yongfei Hu, Hai Yu, Kaiyu Liang, Liyan Yuan, Wenjun Zhang, Zhe Zhuang, Suyun Ji, Xichun Xia

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Figure 2

IL-17A induces GLS1-mediated glutaminolysis to promote keratinocyte proliferation.

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IL-17A induces GLS1-mediated glutaminolysis to promote keratinocyte prol...
(A and B) LC-MS/MS analysis of differential metabolites in primary mouse basal keratinocytes treated with IL-17A versus vehicle (n = 4). Top 10 significantly enriched KEGG pathways of differential metabolites (A), and heatmap of top 20 significant differential metabolites (B) between IL-17A– and vehicle-treated keratinocytes. (C–E) Transcriptome analysis of DEGs in primary mouse basal keratinocytes treated with IL-17A versus vehicle (n = 3). Top 10 significantly enriched GO terms (C) and KEGG pathways (D), and GSEA of glutamine metabolic process (E) based on metabolism-related DEGs between IL-17A– and vehicle-treated keratinocytes. (F) Western blot analysis of GLS1 protein levels, RT-PCR measurement of Gls1 mRNA, and intracellular glutamate levels in primary mouse basal keratinocytes treated with IL-17A versus vehicle (n = 3). (G) GSEA of cell cycle between IL-17A–and vehicle-treated primary mouse basal keratinocytes (n = 3). (H) Left: GLS1 protein and mRNA levels in primary basal keratinocytes from WT (n = 3) and cKO (n = 3) mice. Right: Growth rate of primary basal keratinocytes from WT (n = 3) and cKO (n = 3) mice, assessed by crystal violet staining and relative cell number after 48 hours and 72 hours of treatment with or without IL-17A. (I) Left: GLS1 protein and mRNA levels in NHEK cells treated with IL-17A versus vehicle. Middle: GLS1 protein in NHEK cells following CRISPR-mediated targeting of GLS1. Right: Growth rate of NHEK cells transduced with Cas9-GLS1 or Cas9-NC controls, assessed by crystal violet staining and relative cell number after 24 hours and 48 hours of treatment with IL-17A. Data are presented as mean ± SD and representative of 3 independent experiments with consistent results. Statistical significance was determined by 2-tailed Student’s t test (F and bar graphs in H and I) or 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA with Šídák’s multiple-comparison test (growth curves in H and I). **P < 0.01; ****P < 0.001.

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