An RNA interference based study for the role of ALDH1 in keratinocytes: DNA microarray, antibody–chip array and bioinformatics approaches

• OMICS study integrating siRNA application for ALDH1 silencing in keratinocytes.
• The selected genes associated with skin barrier function and cytokines/chemokines regulated by ALDH1 downregulation.
• ALDH1 function in skin keratinocytes and the further speculation for the genes of interest.
• ALDH1 downregulation and its induced skin disease, i.e., atopic dermatitis.

The role of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been probed in several diseases, especially in various types of cancers. However, the role of ALDH1 in skin cells has not been well elucidated. In this study, we aimed to identify critical factors associated with ALDH1 in keratinocytes through gene and protein expression profiling approaches. To this end, we conducted serial OMICS studies, including DNA microarray analysis, integrated antibody–chip arrays, and the implementation of bioinformatics algorithms designed to integrate siRNA data upon ALDH1 silencing. Cumulatively, these approaches identified several novel genes and proteins in keratinocytes associated with the downregulation of ALDH1. These novel genes and proteins included CYP1A1, a member of the cytochrome family of enzymes; extracellular matrix genes; and cytokines and chemokines, which are believed to play important roles in ALDH1-associated skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis. By integrating the datasets obtained from these complementary high-throughput OMICS studies and utilizing the strengths of each method, we obtained new insights into the functional role of ALDH1 in skin cells. The approach used here could help contribute to our clinical understanding of ALDH1-associated diseases, and may also be broadly applicable to a wider range of diseases.