A vitamin D analogue KH 1060 activates the protein kinase C-c-fos signalling pathway to stimulate epidermal proliferation in murine skin.

The cellular signalling pathways of a potent 20-epi-22-oxa vitamin D3 analogue (KH 1060) were examined in vivo in a hairless mouse model. Seventy two hours after a single topical application of KH 1060 a thickening of the epidermis (from 24.8 +/- 1.2 microns at 0.01 pmol/cm2 KH 1060 to 124.2 +/- 6 microns at 5 pmol/cm2 KH 1060, P < 0.001) was elicited due to epidermal hyperproliferation. This effect could be blocked by topical 2.5 mumol/cm2 sphingosine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C. Two hours after topical application of 2.5 pmol/cm2 KH 1060 a translocation of protein kinase C activity from cytoplasm to the membrane fractions was observed. Moreover, using a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction technique, a transient upregulation of c-fos gene expression was seen 2 hours after topical treatment with KH 1060. The expression of c-fos was dependent on protein kinase C activation, since after pretreatment with the protein kinase C blocker sphingosine, c-fos messenger RNA was not detected. These findings strongly suggest that KH 1060 stimulates epidermal growth through activation of the protein kinase C-c-fos signalling axis in vivo.