The effect of tacrolimus compared with betamethasone valerate on the skin barrier in volunteers with quiescent atopic dermatitis

Abstract Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic allergic inflammatory skin disease characterized by complex pathogenesis including skin barrier dysfunction, immune-redox disturbances, and pruritus. Prolonged topical treatment with medications such as corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and T-cell inhibitors may have some potential side-effects. To this end, many researchers have explored numerous alternative therapies using natural products and mineral compounds with antioxidant or immunomodulatory effects to minimize toxicity and adverse-effects. In the current study, we investigated the effects of mineral complex material (MCM) treatment on 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD-like skin lesions in SKH-1 hairless mice. Methods Animals were divided into four groups; normal control (NC), negative control treated with DNCB only (DNCB only), positive control treated with DNCB and tacrolimus ointment (PC) and experimental group treated with DNCB and MCM patch (MCM). Skin inflammation and lesion severity were investigated through analyses of skin parameters (barrier score and strength, moisture and trans-epidermal water loss level), histopathology, immunoglobulin E, and cytokines. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) levels were measured in both serum and skin lysate. Results Our results demonstrates that MCM patch improved the progression of AD-like skin lesions by significantly increasing skin barrier strength and decreasing trans-epidermal water loss. Additionally, dermal administration of MCM patch significantly reduced epidermal thickness, ROS, and NO levels in skin lysate. Furthermore, we found that MCM suppressed the levels of AD-involved (Th1 and Th2) cytokines such as IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-4 in blood. In addition, the levels of other Th1, and Th2 and inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12(p70) and IL-10 were found lowest in the MCM group than in the DNCB only and PC groups. Moreover, we found total serum IgE level significantly increased after DNCB treatment, but decreased in the PC and MCM groups. Conclusion Taken together, our findings suggest that MCM application may have beneficial effects either systemic or regional on DNCB-induced AD lesional skin via regulation of the skin barrier function and immune-redox response.

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Electrical impedance spectroscopy for the characterization of skin barrier in atopic dermatitis

Allergy ◽

10.1111/all.14842 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Arturo O. Rinaldi ◽

Angelica Korsfeldt ◽

Siobhan Ward ◽

Daniel Burla ◽

Anita Dreher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atopic Dermatitis ◽

Impedance Spectroscopy ◽

Electrical Impedance ◽

Skin Barrier ◽

Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy

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The Implications of Pruritogens in the Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22137227 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (13) ◽

pp. 7227

Author(s):

Lai-San Wong ◽

Yu-Ta Yen ◽

Chih-Hung Lee

Keyword(s):

Atopic Dermatitis ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Immune Responses ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Inflammatory Disease ◽

Targeted Therapies ◽

Skin Barrier ◽

Skin Barrier Function ◽

Inflammatory Molecules

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prototypic inflammatory disease that presents with intense itching. The pathophysiology of AD is multifactorial, involving environmental factors, genetic susceptibility, skin barrier function, and immune responses. A recent understanding of pruritus transmission provides more information about the role of pruritogens in the pathogenesis of AD. There is evidence that pruritogens are not only responsible for eliciting pruritus, but also interact with immune cells and act as inflammatory mediators, which exacerbate the severity of AD. In this review, we discuss the interaction between pruritogens and inflammatory molecules and summarize the targeted therapies for AD.

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Skin Barrier Function in Psoriasis and Atopic Dermatitis: Transepidermal Water Loss and Temperature as Useful Tools to Assess Disease Severity

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10020359 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 359 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Trinidad Montero-Vilchez ◽

María-Victoria Segura-Fernández-Nogueras ◽

Isabel Pérez-Rodríguez ◽

Miguel Soler-Gongora ◽

Antonio Martinez-Lopez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atopic Dermatitis ◽

Disease Severity ◽

Water Loss ◽

Barrier Function ◽

Skin Barrier ◽

Transepidermal Water Loss ◽

Diagnostic Tools ◽

Psoriatic Skin ◽

Skin Barrier Function ◽

Healthy Controls

Multiple diagnostic tools are used to evaluate psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD) severity, but most of them are based on subjective components. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and temperature are skin barrier function parameters that can be objectively measured and could help clinicians to evaluate disease severity accurately. Thus, the aims of this study are: (1) to compare skin barrier function between healthy skin, psoriatic skin and AD skin; and (2) to assess if skin barrier function parameters could predict disease severity. A cross-sectional study was designed, and epidermal barrier function parameters were measured. The study included 314 participants: 157 healthy individuals, 92 psoriatic patients, and 65 atopic dermatitis patients. TEWL was significantly higher, while stratum corneum hydration (SCH) (8.71 vs. 38.43 vs. 44.39 Arbitrary Units (AU)) was lower at psoriatic plaques than at uninvolved psoriatic skin and healthy controls. Patients with both TEWL > 13.85 g·m−2h−1 and temperature > 30.85 °C presented a moderate/severe psoriasis (psoriasis area severity index (PASI) ≥ 7), with a specificity of 76.3%. TEWL (28.68 vs. 13.15 vs. 11.60 g·m−2 h−1) and temperature were significantly higher, while SCH (25.20 vs. 40.95 vs. 50.73 AU) was lower at AD eczematous lesions than uninvolved AD skin and healthy controls. Patients with a temperature > 31.75 °C presented a moderate/severe AD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) ≥ 37) with a sensitivity of 81.8%. In conclusion, temperature and TEWL values may help clinicians to determine disease severity and select patients who need intensive treatment.

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Treatment of atopic dermatitis using non-thermal atmospheric plasma in an animal model

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-95471-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ik Jun Moon ◽

Mi Ra Yun ◽

Hae Kyeong Yoon ◽

Keon Hee Lee ◽

Sun Young Choi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Model ◽

Atopic Dermatitis ◽

Skin Barrier ◽

Treated Group ◽

Transepidermal Water Loss ◽

Atmospheric Plasma ◽

Therapeutic Modality ◽

Skin Barrier Function ◽

Control Group ◽

Epidermal Thickness

AbstractCold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been incorporated into various fields, including promotion of cutaneous wound healing. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic cutaneous condition characterized by inflammation-induced skin wounds and impaired skin barrier function. To investigate whether CAP may improve AD using an animal model. Dermatophagoides farinae extracts (DFE)-induced murine models of AD were used in this study. The plasma-treated group received a total of 6 CAP treatments during 2 weeks, while the control group did not receive any treatment. Differences in dermatitis severity, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), serum level of immunoglobulin (Ig) E and epidermal thickness were evaluated in both groups. The dermatitis severity was significantly improved by CAP treatment. TEWL was lower in the plasma-treated group compared with the non-treated control group. Serum Ig E dropped significantly after treatment with CAP. Difference in epidermal thickness of the ear skin was not significant between the plasma-treated and non-treated groups. Localized treatment of AD with CAP decreases dermatitis severity, TEWL, and serum Ig E level. These results show CAP’s potentials as a novel therapeutic modality for AD.

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