LAUSR

The skin is a highly structured and complex organ comprising essential ectodermal derivatives such as hair follicles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, nails and teeth. Even after the skin is fully formed, it continues to rely on ligands from the classical WNT, FGF, BMP and NOTCH pathways for its function and self-renewal. A number of alternate secreted factors are produced on-site, and include immune-modulatory peptides. We have discovered a novel, secreted peptide, Reto which is highly enriched in the skin, and downregulated during inflammatory disorders. We have characterized a Reto knockout mouse driving a beta-galatosidase transgene. We find that Reto expression is restricted to the epidermis and in specific hair follicle-associated structures in adult mice and that it modulates the response to inflammation by signalling to a specific class of GPCRs.