# Regulation of sebaceous gland stem cells and their differentiated progeny in the skin

> **NIH NIH R56** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2020 · $343,200

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
Our skin provides a barrier that protects us against the environment. Normal skin function is thought to depend
on sebaceous glands (SGs), which are paired appendages typically associated with hair follicles. The main
purpose of SGs is to secrete sebum, a lipid-rich substance that acts on the skin to regulate barrier function and
hydration, while possibly possessing anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties. Aberrant SGs have been
associated with skin pathologies such as acne and scarring alopecia, but their functional roles in disease
remain unclear.
Although numerous genes and signaling pathways have been implicated in maintaining SGs, few studies have
characterized the specific mechanisms by which these factors modulate SG stem cell differentiation, and
whether these effects are direct or indirect. Our previous studies have found that Notch signaling
simultaneously exerts opposing forces on SGs: Whereas Notch directly promotes SG stem cell differentiation,
this pathway also indirectly suppresses SGs from the surface interfollicular epidermis. We also observed that
a PPARγ/K5 double-positive population likely identifies the immediate progenitors that give rise to
differentiated sebocytes in the gland.
This proposal seeks to identify some of the complex factors that regulate SG stem cells, to test the role of SGs
in normal skin function, and to determine whether the PPARγ/K5 double-positive population exhibits stem cell
properties. In Aim 1, we will examine how Notch directly promotes SG stem cell differentiation, and evaluate
novel genes that may modulate SG function. In Aim 2, we will determine how Notch also indirectly suppresses
SG differentiation, and test whether upregulation of epigen functionally links Notch disruption in the epidermis
with SG expansion. In Aim 3, we will assess whether PPARγ is required for SG maintenance, and whether
cells expressing this transcription factor can act as SG stem cells. Finally, we will characterize the localization
of PPARγ/K5 double-positive cells in both normal and pathological human skin. Altogether, these studies will
elucidate how SG stem cells are regulated, both locally and from a distance, while potentially uncovering novel
roles for SG function in the skin.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10226584
- **Project number:** 1R56AR075638-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Sunny Y Wong
- **Activity code:** R56 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $343,200
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-14 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10226584

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10226584, Regulation of sebaceous gland stem cells and their differentiated progeny in the skin (1R56AR075638-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10226584. Licensed CC0.

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