Objective To explore the effect of Wnt/ β - catenin pathway activation on the phenotypic characteristics of human epidermal cells. Methods Human differentiated epidermal cells were separated by differential adhesion from skin samples of patients after circumcision

and then divided into control group and induced groups including lithium chloride (LiCl

20 mmol/L) group and GSK - 3 β inhibitor (15 μ mol/L) group. After the cells were treated for 6 d

the expression of β - catenin was examined using Western blotting and those

of CK10

CK14

CK19 and β 1 integrin in the epidermal cells were evaluated by immunohistochemical technique. Results The expression of β - catenin induced by LiCl(2.15 ± 0.54) and GSK - 3 β (2.58 ± 0.65) inhibitor was increased by about 2 - fold and 2.5 - fold independently (

P

0 . 01). The cells after 6 days’ inducement were small round in shape with large nuclear - cytoplasmic ratio. Before induction

high expression of CK10

moderate expression of CK14 and negative expression of CK19 and β1 integrin were observed in the epidermal cells. But after induction

the expression of CK10 was negative

that of CK14 was moderate. and those of CK19 and β1 integrin were markedly positive in epidermal cells. Conclusion Activation of Wnt/ β - catenin pathway can induce the dedifferentiation of human epidermal cells

which may be a key step in manipulating epidermal cell dedifferentiation.