MORPHOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR CALCIUM-DEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OF CALGRANULIN WITH THE EPIDERMAL CYTOSKELETON IN INFLAMMATORY DERMATOSES

The association of calgranulins; intracellular calcium-binding proteins, with the keratinocyte cytoskeleton has been studied. These molecules are expressed in various inflammatory dermatoses and in organ-culture explants. Triton X-100 extraction in the presence of calcium or EDTA suggested that calgranulins are detergent insoluble in the presence of calcium. The molecules were localized in a plaque-like structure at the cell periphery in lesional skin and in organ-culture explants. Following induction of calgranulins in vitro there was a redistribution of the intermediate filament cytoskeleton into a perinuclear halo, although desmosomes remained intact. These various features suggest that these members of the S-100 protein family have a role in cytoskeletal changes seen in various skin diseases.