Circadian clock regulates epidermal endocrine system in homeostatic skin pigmentation

Abstract

The circadian clock regulates various physiological processes in the skin, including local hormone synthesis and pigment production. However, the interplay between circadian regulation and epidermal endocrine signaling remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the functional roles of two core circadian transcriptional regulators, Basic helix-loop-helix ARNT-like protein 1 (BMAL1) and CLOCK circadian regulator (CLOCK), in human epidermal homeostasis. Primary normal human epidermal melanocytes were cultured and analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. Both BMAL1 and CLOCK were abundantly expressed in melanocytes. siRNA-mediated knockdown of either gene led to a significant reduction in melanin synthesis and altered the expression of hormone-related factors, notably decreasing the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and its associated pathways. These molecular alterations were closely correlated with changes in melanogenic activity. Consistently, immunohistochemical analysis of vitiligo patient skin revealed reduced expression of the vitamin D-related enzyme CYP27A1 in melanocytes. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that circadian clock disruption impairs pigment production partly through modulation of vitamin D signaling, uncovering a previously unrecognized link between the cutaneous circadian system and endocrine regulation of melanogenesis.