Krt14-flox Mouse

Krt14, short for Keratin 14, is a type I keratin that is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of epithelial tissues. It is often expressed in basal cells of stratified epithelia and has been implicated in various cellular processes such as cell migration, differentiation, and tissue regeneration [2,3,4].

In triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), EZH2-H3K27me3 mediated upregulation of Krt14 promotes peritoneal metastasis. Loss of Krt14 significantly reduces TNBC migration, invasion, and peritoneal metastasis, indicating its role in cancer metastasis [1]. In airway basal cells, Krt14-KO led to impaired differentiation into club and ciliated cells but enhanced clonogenicity. Krt14 bound the tumor suppressor stratifin, and its disruption reduced stratifin protein abundance and increased expression of the oncogene dNp63a during differentiation [2]. In psoriatic skin inflammation, KC-specific knockout of Atg5 using Krt14-Cre revealed the role of an autophagy-based unconventional secretion of HMGB1 in promoting cutaneous inflammation [3]. In salivary glands, loss of Atg5 in Krt14+ cells led to functional impairments via pyroptosis [4].

In conclusion, Krt14 plays essential roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis, cell differentiation, and disease progression. Gene knockout and conditional knockout mouse models have been instrumental in revealing its functions in diseases like TNBC, psoriasis, and salivary gland diseases, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target in these conditions.