Skin represents an informative and convenient organ for the analysis of the aging process. Naked mole-rats (NMR) are subterranean rodents remarkable for their longevity, with unexplained resistance to aging. We performed extensive in situ analysis and single-cell RNA-sequencing comparing young and older animals skin and showed that NMR exhibited a striking stability of skin compartments and cell types, which remained stable over time without aging-associated changes. Remarkably, the number of stem cells was constant throughout aging. We also found three classical cellular states defining a unique keratinocyte differentiation trajectory that were not altered after pseudo-temporal reconstruction. Epidermal gene expression did not change with aging, Langerhans cell clusters were conserved and only a higher basal stem cell expression of Igfbp3 was found in older animals. In accordance, NMR skin healing closure was strictly similar in both age groups. Altogether, these results indicate that NMR skin is characterized by peculiar genetic and cellular features, different from those previously demonstrated for mice and humans. The remarkabl

LB004 - Single-cell transcriptomics reveals age-resistant maintenance of cell identities, stem cell compartments and differentiation trajectories in long-lived naked mole-rats skin

The scientific meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR) is held yearly, usually in September. With an international attendance of more than 1000 skin scientists from around the globe, the four-day event includes short oral presentations from peer-reviewed abstracts, keynote lectures from international experts, sponsored symposia, satellite programs, educational events as well as an important focus on posters, networking and building collaborations amongst scientists. For more information about this year’s meeting visit our website.