LCE1E gene

The LCE1E gene (LCE1E stands for Late Cornified Envelope 1E) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 1q21.3. The signaling pathways associated with the gene product include keratinization and the development of the nervous system. An important paralog of this gene is LCE1F.

The encoded protein, Late Cornified Envelope Protein 1E, belongs to the 18-member family of LCE proteins. It is assumed that it is significantly involved in keratinization, among other things.

There is good evidence that LCE proteinsplay an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis . Terminally differentiating epidermal keratinocytes express a large number of structural and antimicrobial proteins that are involved in the physical barrier function of the stratum corneum and provide innate skin defense. The late cornification envelope (LCE) genes, located in the epidermal differentiation complex on chromosome 1, encode a family of 18 proteins (LCE proteins), some with unknown function, whose expression is largely restricted to the epidermis. The deletion of two members, LCE3B and LCE3C (LCE3B/C-del), is a widespread psoriasis risk factor that interacts with the most important psoriasis risk gene HLA-C*06. Niehues et al. were able to show that LCE3B/C-del leads to increased LCE3A expression in keratinocytes. They also show that LCE3A/B/C have antimicrobial activity but do not appear to regulate the integrity of the epidermal barrier (Niehues H et al. 2017). A functional analysis for the LCE3 protein showed (especially for LCE3A) that it has defensin-like antimicrobial activity against a variety of bacterial taxa at low micromolar concentrations (Niehues H et al. 2017).

One of the diseases associated with LCE1E is Fiedler's myocarditis.

1. Archer NK et al. (2017) Pushing the Envelope in Psoriasis: Late Cornified Envelope Proteins Possess Antimicrobial Activity. J Invest Dermatol 137:2257-2259.
2. Niehues H et al. (2017) Psoriasis-Associated Late Cornified Envelope (LCE) Proteins Have Antibacterial Activity. J Invest Dermatol 137:2380-2388.
3. Shen C et al.(2015) Association of the late cornified envelope-3 genes with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a systematic review. J Genet Genomics 42:49-56