Activation of TLR3 in keratinocytes increases expression of genes involved in formation of the epidermis, lipid accumulation and epidermal organelles

Injury to the skin, and the subsequent release of non-coding double-stranded RNA from necrotic keratinocytes, has been identified as an endogenous activator of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3). Since changes in keratinocyte growth and differentiation follow injury, we hypothesized that TLR3 might trigger some elements of the barrier repair program in keratinocytes. Double-stranded RNA was observed to induce TLR3-dependent increases in human keratinocyte mRNA abundance for ABCA12 (ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A, member 12), glucocerebrosidase, acid sphingomyelinase, and transglutaminase 1. Additionally, treatment with double-stranded RNA resulted in increases in sphingomyelin and morphologic changes including increased epidermal lipid staining by oil-red O and TLR3-dependent increases in lamellar bodies and keratohyalin granules. These observations show that double-stranded RNA can stimulate some events in keratinocytes that are important for skin barrier repair and maintenance.