S100C/A11 is a key mediator of Ca²⁺-induced growth inhibition of human epidermal keratinocytes

An increase in extracellular Ca²⁺ induces growth arrest and differentiation of human keratinocytes in culture. We examined possible involvement of S100C/A11 in this growth regulation. On exposure of the cells to high Ca²⁺, S100C/A11 was specifically phosphorylated at ¹⁰Thr and ⁹⁴Ser. Phosphorylation facilitated the binding of S100C/A11 to nucleolin, resulting in nuclear translocation of S100C/A11. In nuclei, S100C/A11 liberated Sp1/3 from nucleolin. The resulting free Sp1/3 transcriptionally activated p21^CIP1/WAF1, a representative negative regulator of cell growth. Introduction of anti-S100C/A11 antibody into the cells largely abolished the growth inhibition induced by Ca²⁺ and the induction of p21^CIP1/WAF1. In the human epidermis, S100C/A11 was detected in nuclei of differentiating cells in the suprabasal layers, but not in nuclei of proliferating cells in the basal layer. These results indicate that S100C/A11 is a key mediator of the Ca²⁺-induced growth inhibition of human keratinocytes in culture, and that it may be possibly involved in the growth regulation in vivo as well.