scholarly journals Caffeine in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis: A Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mais Bassam Alashqar

   Atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis are inflammatory skin diseases. AD is characterized by immune dysregulation and barrier impairment, while psoriasis is by immune dysfunction and resultant keratinocyte hyper-proliferation.    Caffeine has shown effective in ameliorating the symptoms of both diseases, but it is not conclusive through which pathways. The aim of this study was to provide a detailed discussion of available work on this topic, as well as known modes of action of caffeine that are relevant to these two conditions.    After an extensive review of the literature, we found that both diseases have decreased intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels in cutaneous leukocytes, so it is very likely that being a methylxanthine, and hence a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, caffeine raises intracellular cAMP levels, which suppresses inflammatory pathways and potentiates anti-inflammatory ones. Moreover, caffeine is known to be an ATR (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) kinase and an ATM (ATM- and Rad3-Related) kinase inhibitor, which promotes prompt apoptosis of damaged cells. It was also found to have anti-necrotic effects in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-damaged cells. These pro-apoptotic and anti-necrotic properties may also be reducing the inflammation. Finally, caffeine's metabolites have shown antioxidising effects against ROS, which certainly would reduce inflammation caused by lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and organelle destruction.    We find that caffeine acts in a number of ways to improve symptoms of inflammation and that it is an effective adjunct to therapy in AD and psoriasis.

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 1554
Author(s):  
Dabin Choi ◽  
Wesuk Kang ◽  
Taesun Park

The critical roles of keratinocytes and resident mast cells in skin allergy and inflammation have been highlighted in many studies. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), the intracellular second messenger, has also recently emerged as a target molecule in the immune reaction underlying inflammatory skin conditions. Here, we investigated whether undecane, a naturally occurring plant compound, has anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory activities on sensitized rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) mast cells and HaCaT keratinocytes and we further explored the potential involvement of the cAMP as a molecular target for undecane. We confirmed that undecane increased intracellular cAMP levels in mast cells and keratinocytes. In sensitized mast cells, undecane inhibited degranulation and the secretion of histamine and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). In addition, in sensitized keratinocytes, undecane reversed the increased levels of p38 phosphorylation, nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) transcriptional activity and target cytokine/chemokine genes, including thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) and interleukin-8 (IL-8). These results suggest that undecane may be useful for the prevention or treatment of skin inflammatory disorders, such as atopic dermatitis, and other allergic diseases.


2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1095-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
YANGMING XIAO ◽  
WEIJING HE ◽  
I. JON RUSSELL

Objective.To determine the genotype frequencies of ß2-adrenergic receptor (ß2AR) gene polymorphisms (Gly16Arg, Glu27Gln) in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) by comparison with unrelated healthy controls. We sought any clinical association with these polymorphisms and determined whether the polymorphisms would associate with a biologic guanosine protein-coupled stimulator receptor (Gs) dysfunction in FM.Methods.Study subjects included 97 clinically characterized patients with FM and 59 controls. The ß2AR polymorphisms at codons 16 and 27 were determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The Gs functions of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were tested using isoproterenol (ISO) as the adrenergic Gs ligand and measuring intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels.Results.The frequency of the ß2AR gene polymorphism Gly16Arg in FM (43.5%) was significantly lower than in controls (63.2%), suggesting that this genotype might have some effect on the risk of developing FM. The only clinical association in FM was with sleep dysfunction. Patients with FM who carried the ß2AR polymorphism Arg16Arg also exhibited significantly lower PBMC basal cAMP levels (p < 0.05) and lower ISO-stimulated cAMP levels (p < 0.05) than FM carrying Gly16Gly or Gly16Arg.Conclusion.This confirms a relationship between ß2AR polymorphism and FM. It is the first study to demonstrate ß2AR polymorphism-related differences in intracellular cAMP responses of FM PBMC after ß2AR stimulationin vitro. These findings may explain some of the differences in responsiveness of FM subgroups to the adrenergic agonist medications currently approved for FM treatment.


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 166
Author(s):  
Wonkyoung Cho ◽  
SeoYeon Kim ◽  
Myeongsook Jeong ◽  
Young Mi Park

Adipogenesis is a crucial cellular process that contributes to the expansion of adipose tissue in obesity. Shockwaves are mechanical stimuli that transmit signals to cause biological responses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of shockwaves on adipogenesis. We treated 3T3L-1 cells and human primary preadipocytes for differentiation with or without shockwaves. Western blots and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) for adipocyte markers including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPα) were performed. Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels, which are known to affect adipocyte differentiation, were measured. Shockwave treatment decreased intracellular lipid droplet accumulation in primary human preadipocytes and 3T3-L1 cells after 11–12 days of differentiation. Levels of key adipogenic transcriptional factors PPARγ and/or C/EBPα were lower in shockwave-treated human primary preadipocytes and 3T3L-1 cells after 12–13 days of differentiation than in shockwave-untreated cells. Shockwave treatment induced release of extracellular ATP from preadipocytes and decreased intracellular cAMP levels. Shockwave-treated preadipocytes showed a higher level of β-catenin and less PPARγ expression than shockwave-untreated cells. Supplementation with 8-bromo-cAMP analog after shockwave treatment rescued adipocyte differentiation by preventing the effect of shockwaves on β-catenin, Wnt10b mRNA, and PPARγ expression. Low-energy shockwaves suppressed adipocyte differentiation by decreasing PPARγ. Our study suggests an insight into potential uses of shockwave-treatment for obesity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 595-602
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Mong Diep ◽  
Nguyen Thi Bich Hang ◽  
Nguyen Le Cong Minh ◽  
Tran Thanh Son ◽  
Nguyen Thuy Duong

Fluoxetine (FLX), a widely used antidepressant primarily acting as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, has been shown to exhibit other mechanisms of action in various cell types. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a second messenger used for intracellular signal induction. Cyclic AMP is a nucleotide synthesized within the cell from adenosine triphosphate by the adenylyl cyclase enzyme, and is inactivated enzymatically to 5′AMP by hydroxylation with a group of enzymes called phosphodiesterase. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of FLX on MLTC-1 Leydig cells on intracellular cyclic AMP response to forskolin (FSK). MLTC-1 cells were incubated at 37°C in media supplemented with or without different doses of FLX (0, 0.156, 0.3125, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 µM). We then looked for how the concentration of FLX for a short-time (2 hours) and a long-time (24 hours) affects the concentration of intracellular cyclic AMP response to FSK and ATP levels on MLTC-1 cells. Our results show that FLX decreased the intracellular cAMP response to FSK depending on FLX concentration. FLX decreased significantly cAMP levels only at 10 µM after 2 hours of incubation but after 24 hours of incubation FLX caused an effect on cAMP levels at 5 µM and at 10 µM. Moreover, as expected, FLX also caused a decline of steroidogenesis, which is under the control of cAMP and ATP levels in the cells. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the inhibition of cAMP synthesis by FLX is dose-dependent, and that FLX also inhibited hormone-induced steroidogenesis in MLTC-1 cells.


2022 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 248-258
Author(s):  
Jan Zlamal ◽  
Karina Althaus ◽  
Hisham Jaffal ◽  
Helene Häberle ◽  
Lisann Pelzl ◽  
...  

Abstract Thromboembolic events are frequently reported in patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The exact mechanisms of COVID-19-associated hypercoagulopathy, however, remain elusive. Recently, we observed that platelets (PLTs) from patients with severe COVID-19 infection express high levels of procoagulant markers, which were found to be associated with increased risk for thrombosis. In the current study, we investigated the time course as well as the mechanisms leading to procoagulant PLTs in COVID-19. Our study demonstrates the presence of PLT-reactive IgG antibodies that induce marked changes in PLTs in terms of increased inner-mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψ) depolarization, phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization, and P-selectin expression. The IgG-induced procoagulant PLTs and increased thrombus formation were mediated by ligation of PLT Fc-γ RIIA (FcγRIIA). In addition, contents of calcium and cyclic-adenosine-monophosphate (cAMP) in PLTs were identified to play a central role in antibody-induced procoagulant PLT formation. Most importantly, antibody-induced procoagulant events, as well as increased thrombus formation in severe COVID-19, were inhibited by Iloprost, a clinically approved therapeutic agent that increases the intracellular cAMP levels in PLTs. Our data indicate that upregulation of cAMP could be a potential therapeutic target to prevent antibody-mediated coagulopathy in COVID-19 disease.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1553
Author(s):  
Sung Won Lee ◽  
Hyun Jung Park ◽  
Jungmin Jeon ◽  
Yun Hoo Park ◽  
Tae-Cheol Kim ◽  
...  

The SWItch (SWI)3-related gene (SRG3) product, a SWI/Sucrose Non-Fermenting (SNF) chromatin remodeling subunit, plays a critical role in regulating immune responses. We have previously shown that ubiquitous SRG3 overexpression attenuates the progression of Th1/Th17-mediated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. However, it is unclear whether SRG3 overexpression can affect the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD), a Th2-type immune disorder. Thus, to elucidate the effects of SRG3 overexpression in AD development, we bred NC/Nga (NC) mice with transgenic mice where SRG3 expression is driven by the β-actin promoter (SRG3β-actin mice). We found that SRG3β-actin NC mice exhibit increased AD development (e.g., a higher clinical score, immunoglobulin E (IgE) hyperproduction, and an increased number of infiltrated mast cells and basophils in skin lesions) compared with wild-type NC mice. Moreover, the severity of AD pathogenesis in SRG3β-actin NC mice correlated with expansion of interleukin 4 (IL4)-producing basophils and mast cells, and M2 macrophages. Furthermore, this accelerated AD development is strongly associated with Treg cell suppression. Collectively, our results have identified that modulation of SRG3 function can be applied as one of the options to control AD pathogenesis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naohiro Araki ◽  
Mitsuru Iida ◽  
Nobuyuki Amino ◽  
Shinji Morita ◽  
Akane Ide ◽  
...  

Background: Thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSAb) are known to be responsible for hyperthyroidism in Graves' disease (GD). The conventional methods to measure TSAb depend on cell-based assays that require cumbersome procedures and a sterilized tissue culture technique. The aim of the present study was to develop a ready-to-use cell-based assay for measuring TSAb activity without requiring sterilized conditions. Methods: We developed a new assay kit using a frozen Chinese hamster ovary cell line expressing the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-gated calcium channel and aequorin, tentatively named the aequorin TSAb assay. Activated stimulatory G-protein-coupled adenylate cyclase increases intracellular cAMP, which then binds to the cyclic nucleotide-gated calcium channel. Activation of this channel allows Ca2+ to enter the cell, and the influx of Ca2+ can be measured with aequorin, which is quantified by a luminometer. Results can be obtained in only 4 h without sterilized conditions. TSAb activities were expressed by international units using the NIBSC 08/204 standard. Results: Positive results of aequorin TSAb were obtained in 197 of 199 (98.9%) of untreated patients with GD. Only 1 of 42 (2.3%) patients with painless thyroiditis had a weakly positive aequorin TSAb. All 45 patients with subacute thyroiditis and 185 normal subjects showed negative aequorin TSAb. As for chronic thyroiditis, all 52 euthyroid patients showed negative aequorin TSAb, but 8 of 50 (16.0%) hypothyroid patients had a positive reaction. However, these positive reactions were not induced by serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and were thought to be induced by the stimulating activity of anti-TSH receptor immunoglobulins. Conventional porcine TSAb and Elecsys thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies were positive in 69.3 and 95.5% of GD, respectively. Conclusion: The aequorin TSAb assay was positive in 98.9% of GD and was more sensitive than the conventional assay. This assay can be conducted in only 4 h without sterilized conditions and is practically useful in general clinical laboratories.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz J. Legat

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is among the most frequent inflammatory skin diseases in humans, affecting up to 20% of children and 10% of adults in higher income countries. Chronic pruritus is a disease-defining symptom of AD, representing the most burdensome symptom for patients. Severe chronic pruritus causes significant sleep disturbances and impaired quality of life, as well as increased anxiety, depression and suicidal behavior. Until recently, skin care, topical corticosteroids, and calcineurin-inhibitors were primarily used to treat mild to moderate AD, while phototherapy and immunosuppressive agents such as corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and methotrexate were used to treat patients with moderate to severe AD. The potential short- and long-term adverse events associated with these treatments or their insufficient therapeutic efficacy limited their use in controlling pruritus and eczema in AD patients over longer periods of time. As our understanding of AD pathophysiology has improved and new systemic and topical treatments have appeared on the market, targeting specific cytokines, receptors, or their intracellular signaling, a new era in atopic dermatitis and pruritus therapy has begun. This review highlights new developments in AD treatment, placing a specific focus on their anti-pruritic effects.


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