# Regulation of sebaceous gland homeostasis and sebum secretion by the ERBB receptor family **Authors:** Theresa Hommel, Marlon R. Schneider, Maik Dahlhoff PMC · DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.114834 · 2026-01-30 ## TL;DR This paper reviews how ERBB receptors regulate sebaceous glands and sebum, linking their function to skin health and disease. ## Contribution The paper highlights the role of ERBB receptors in sebaceous gland function and suggests their potential as therapeutic targets. ## Key findings - ERBB receptors regulate sebocyte proliferation and lipid production. - Impaired ERBB signaling is linked to acne and sebaceous gland hyperplasia. - ERBB signaling could be a target for treating skin conditions. ## Abstract ERBB receptors are underappreciated regulators of cellular processes in the sebaceous gland (SG). They control sebocyte proliferation, differentiation, and lipid production - mechanisms that are essential for SG homeostasis, sebum secretion, and skin health. Also, impaired ERBB signaling is associated with diseases such as acne, SG hyperplasia, or skin adverse effects to some cancer therapies. By addressing current findings and unsolved aspects of ERBB signaling in the SG, this review aims to encourage deeper investigation to identify potential therapeutic strategies for common and chronic skin conditions. Biomolecules; Molecular mechanism of gene regulation; Cell biology ## Linked entities - **Genes:** EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) [NCBI Gene 1956] - **Diseases:** acne (MONDO:0011438) ## Full-text entities - **Genes:** Krt14 (keratin 14) [NCBI Gene 16664] {aka CK-14, K14, Krt-1.14, Krt1-14}, Zhx2 (zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2) [NCBI Gene 387609] {aka Afr-1, Afr1, Raf, mKIAA0854}, GATA2 (GATA binding protein 2) [NCBI Gene 2624] {aka DCML, IMD21, MONOMAC, NFE1B}, Areg (amphiregulin) [NCBI Gene 11839] {aka AR, Mcub, Sdgf}, MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase) [NCBI Gene 2475] {aka FRAP, FRAP1, FRAP2, RAFT1, RAPT1, SKS}, Il1r2 (interleukin 1 receptor, type II) [NCBI Gene 16178] {aka CD121b, Il1r-2}, AKT1 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 207] {aka AKT, PKB, PKB-ALPHA, PRKBA, RAC, RAC-ALPHA}, ERBB3 (erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 3) [NCBI Gene 2065] {aka ErbB-3, FERLK, HER3, LCCS2, MDA-BF-1, VSCN1}, Hao2 (hydroxyacid oxidase 2) [NCBI Gene 56185] {aka Hao-2, Hao3, Haox3}, FASN (fatty acid synthase) [NCBI Gene 2194] {aka FAS, OA-519, SDR27X1}, Krt5 (keratin 5) [NCBI Gene 110308] {aka 3300001P10Rik, CK5, K5, Krt2-5, Tfip8}, Erbb4 (erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4) [NCBI Gene 13869] {aka Her4, c-erbB-4}, Scd1 (stearoyl-Coenzyme A desaturase 1) [NCBI Gene 20249] {aka Scd, Scd-1, ab}, Dnase1l2 (deoxyribonuclease 1-like 2) [NCBI Gene 66705] {aka 4733401H14Rik}, HBEGF (heparin binding EGF like growth factor) [NCBI Gene 1839] {aka DTR, DTS, DTSF, HEGFL}, Nrg2 (neuregulin 2) [NCBI Gene 100042150] {aka Don1, NTAK}, Sox9 (SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 9) [NCBI Gene 20682] {aka 2010306G03Rik, mKIAA4243, mSox9}, Prg4 (proteoglycan 4 (megakaryocyte stimulating factor, articular superficial zone protein)) [NCBI Gene 96875] {aka CACP, DOL54, JCAP, MSF, SZP, lubricin}, CTNNB1 (catenin beta 1) [NCBI Gene 1499] {aka CTNNB, EVR7, MRD19, NEDSDV, armadillo}, IGF1 (insulin like growth factor 1) [NCBI Gene 3479] {aka IGF, IGF-I, IGFI, MGF}, Krt6 (keratin 6) [NCBI Gene 110309] {aka K6, Krt-2.6, Krt2-6}, NR4A1 (nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 1) [NCBI Gene 3164] {aka GFRP1, HMR, N10, NAK-1, NGFIB, NP10}, NRG1 (neuregulin 1) [NCBI Gene 3084] {aka ARIA, GGF, GGF2, HGL, HRG, HRG1}, Crat (carnitine acetyltransferase) [NCBI Gene 12908] {aka CARAT}, Mapk1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 26413] {aka 9030612K14Rik, ERK, Erk2, MAPK2, PRKM2, Prkm1}, Tgfa (transforming growth factor alpha) [NCBI Gene 21802] {aka wa-1, wa1}, Egf (epidermal growth factor) [NCBI Gene 13645], Hbegf (heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor) [NCBI Gene 15200] {aka Dtr, Dts, Hegfl}, FAS (Fas cell surface death receptor) [NCBI Gene 355] {aka ALPS1A, APO-1, APT1, CD95, FAS1, FASTM}, Erbb2 (erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 13866] {aka Erbb-2, HER-2, HER2, Neu, c-erbB2, c-neu}, CRH (corticotropin releasing hormone) [NCBI Gene 1392] {aka CRF, CRH1}, Btc (betacellulin, epidermal growth factor family member) [NCBI Gene 12223] {aka Bcn}, INSR (insulin receptor) [NCBI Gene 3643] {aka CD220, HHF5}, Notch1 (notch 1) [NCBI Gene 18128] {aka 9930111A19Rik, Mis6, N1, Tan1, lin-12}, Maml1 (mastermind like transcriptional coactivator 1) [NCBI Gene 103806] {aka D930008C07Rik, Mam-1, Mam1, mKIAA0200}, SREBF2 (sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 2) [NCBI Gene 6721] {aka SREBP-2, SREBP2, bHLHd2}, Gata6 (GATA binding protein 6) [NCBI Gene 14465] {aka GATA-6}, Hes1 (hes family bHLH transcription factor 1) [NCBI Gene 15205] {aka Hry, bHLHb39}, PIK3CB (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta) [NCBI Gene 5291] {aka P110BETA, PI3K, PI3KBETA, PIK3C1}, SREBF1 (sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1) [NCBI Gene 6720] {aka HMD, IFAP2, SREBP1, bHLHd1}, ERBB2 (erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 2064] {aka CD340, HER-2, HER-2/neu, HER2, MLN 19, MLN-19}, OLR1 (oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 4973] {aka CLEC8A, LOX1, LOXIN, SCARE1, SLOX1}, Nrg3 (neuregulin 3) [NCBI Gene 18183] {aka ska}, Aco1 (aconitase 1) [NCBI Gene 11428] {aka Aco-1, Irebp, Irp1}, Rbpj (recombination signal binding protein for immunoglobulin kappa J region) [NCBI Gene 19664] {aka CBF1, Igkjrb, Igkrsbp, RBP-J, RBP-J kappa, RBP-Jkappa}, Erbb3 (erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 3) [NCBI Gene 13867] {aka Erbb-3, Erbb3r, Her3}, Akt1 (Akt serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 11651] {aka Akt, LTR-akt, PKB, PKB/Akt, PKBalpha, Rac}, Actb (actin, beta) [NCBI Gene 11461] {aka Actx, E430023M04Rik, beta-actin}, PPARG (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma) [NCBI Gene 5468] {aka CIMT1, FPLD3, GLM1, NR1C3, PPARG1, PPARG2}, LRIG1 (leucine rich repeats and immunoglobulin like domains 1) [NCBI Gene 26018] {aka LIG-1, LIG1}, ERBB4 (erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4) [NCBI Gene 2066] {aka ALS19, HER4, p180erbB4}, Lep (leptin) [NCBI Gene 16846] {aka ob, obese}, Ereg (epiregulin) [NCBI Gene 13874] {aka EPR}, EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) [NCBI Gene 1956] {aka ERBB, ERBB1, ERRP, HER1, NISBD2, NNCIS}, Epgn (epithelial mitogen) [NCBI Gene 71920] {aka 2310069M11Rik, epigen}, Lrig1 (leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains 1) [NCBI Gene 16206] {aka D6Bwg0781e, Img, LIG-1}, Plin5 (perilipin 5) [NCBI Gene 66968] {aka 2310076L09Rik, Lsdp5, MLDP, PAT-1}, Il6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 16193] {aka Il-6}, Myc (Myc proto-oncogene, bHLH transcription factor) [NCBI Gene 17869] {aka Myc2, Niard, Nird, bHLHe39}, EGF (epidermal growth factor) [NCBI Gene 1950] {aka HOMG4, URG} - **Diseases:** Skin (MESH:D012871), Rosacea (MESH:D012393), colorectal cancer (MESH:D015179), SG hyperplasia (MESH:C537530), breast, lung, stomach, bladder, and ovarian cancer (MESH:D061325), Seborrhea (MESH:D012628), carcinogenic (MESH:D011230), skin pain (MESH:D010146), lung metastasis (MESH:D009362), malignant melanoma (MESH:D008545), SG carcinoma (MESH:D012626), inflammation (MESH:D007249), heart and neural defects (MESH:D006330), dermatological (MESH:D000168), head and neck cancer (MESH:D006258), Cancer (MESH:D009369), cardiac and neuronal defects (MESH:D006331), breast, ovarian, prostate, colon, and lung cancer (MESH:D010051), skin carcinogenesis (MESH:D063646), cutaneous malignancies (MESH:C562393), papules (MESH:D000169), breast cancer (MESH:D001943), skin cancers (MESH:D012878), alopecia (MESH:D000505), rash (MESH:D005076), colon carcinoma (MESH:D003110), SG (MESH:D012625), non-small cell lung cancer (MESH:D002289), pruritus (MESH:D011537), SCC (MESH:D002294), psoriasis (MESH:D011565), basal cell carcinoma (MESH:D002280), AD (MESH:D003876), Acne vulgaris (MESH:D000152), hyperplasia (MESH:D006965), psoriatic (MESH:D015535) - **Chemicals:** MABs (MESH:D000911), oxygen (MESH:D010100), unsaturated fatty acids (MESH:D005231), TGs (MESH:C026285), TAGs (-), phosphatidylcholine (MESH:D010713), fatty acid (MESH:D005227), carbon (MESH:D002244), Cetuximab (MESH:D000068818), cholesterol esters (MESH:D002788), TCA (MESH:D014238), triglycerides (MESH:D014280), squalene (MESH:D013185), lipid (MESH:D008055), FFAs (MESH:D005230), palmitic acid (MESH:D019308), Gln (MESH:D005973), citrate (MESH:D019343), erlotinib (MESH:D000069347), phospholipids (MESH:D010743), ATP (MESH:D000255), Leu (MESH:D007930), ceramides (MESH:D002518), FA (MESH:D005492), lapatinib (MESH:D000077341), squalene peroxides (MESH:C002821), ketone bodies (MESH:D007657), cholesterol (MESH:D002784), glucose (MESH:D005947) - **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast, species) [taxon 4932], Malassezia (genus) [taxon 55193], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116], Mouse mammary tumor virus (no rank) [taxon 11757], Gallus gallus (bantam, species) [taxon 9031] - **Mutations:** Leu863Gln - **Cell lines:** SEB-2 — Homo sapiens (Human), Colon carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_A628), HaCaT — Homo sapiens (Human), Spontaneously immortalized cell line (CVCL_0038), hTERT — Homo sapiens (Human), Transformed cell line (CVCL_E232), XL-i-20 — Xenopus laevis (African clawed frog), Spontaneously immortalized cell line (CVCL_6743), SEB-3 — Mus musculus (Mouse), Hybridoma (CVCL_C6V6), SZ95 — Homo sapiens (Human), Transformed cell line (CVCL_9803) ## Figures 1 figure with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12924736/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12924736