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- Biro, T, et al.
(author)
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How best to fight that nasty itch - from new insights into the neuroimmunological, neuroendocrine, and neurophysiological bases of pruritus to novel therapeutic approaches
- 2005
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In: Experimental Dermatology. - : Wiley. - 0906-6705 .- 1600-0625. ; 14:3, s. 225-225
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While the enormous clinical and psychosocial importance of pruritus in many areas of medicine and the detrimental effects of chronic 'itch' on the quality of life of an affected individual are widely appreciated, the complexity of this sensation is still often grossly underestimated. The current Controversies feature highlights this complexity by portraying pruritus as a truly interdisciplinary problem at the crossroads of neurophysiology, neuroimmunology, neuropharmacology, protease research, internal medicine, and dermatology, which is combated most successfully if one keeps the multilayered nature of 'itch' in mind and adopts a holistic treatment approach - beyond the customary, frequently frustrane monotherapy with histamine receptor antagonists. In view of the often unsatisfactory, unidimensional, and altogether rather crude standard instruments for pruritus management that we still tend to use in clinical practice today, an interdisciplinary team of pruritus experts here critically examines recent progress in pruritus research that future itch management must take into consideration. Focusing on new insights into the neuroimmunological, neuroendocrine, and neurophysiological bases of pruritus, and discussing available neuropharmacological tools, specific research avenues are highlighted, whose pursuit promises to lead to novel, and hopefully more effective, forms of pruritus management.
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| 5. |
- Roupé, Markus, et al.
(author)
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Gene expression demonstrates increased resilience toward harmful inflammatory stimuli in the proliferating epidermis of human skin wounds
- 2010
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In: Experimental Dermatology. - : Wiley. - 0906-6705 .- 1600-0625. ; 19:8, s. 329-332
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We examined the epidermal gene expression during the proliferative phase of wound healing. Matrix metalloproteases were the group of proteases most prominently up-regulated in skin wounds, whereas serine protease inhibitors were the most strongly up-regulated protease inhibitors. Furthermore, we found down-regulation of genes involved in the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. This together with the up-regulation of inhibitors of leukocyte serine proteases likely represents a protective step to ensure survival of keratinocytes in the inflammatory wound environment. The down-regulation of proapoptotic genes in the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis was not accompanied by a down-regulation of receptors indicating that the keratinocytes in skin wounds did not become less responsive to external stimuli. Examining the transcription factor binding sites in the promoters of the most differentially expressed genes between normal skin and skin wounds a significant overrepresentation of binding sites were found for STAT-5, SRY and members of the FOXO-family of transcription factors.
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| 6. |
- Sonesson, Andreas, et al.
(author)
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Thymic stromal lymphopoietin exerts antimicrobial activities
- 2011
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In: Experimental dermatology. - : Wiley. - 0906-6705 .- 1600-0625. ; 20:12, s. 1004-1010
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an interleukin-7-like cytokine expressed by epithelial cells and reported to be involved in allergic diseases and atopic eczema. The presence of several predicted a-helical regions in TSPL, a structure characterizing many classical antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), prompted us to investigate whether TSLP exerts antimicrobial activities. Recombinant human TSLP exerted antimicrobial activity, particularly against Gram-negative bacteria. Using synthetic overlapping peptide 20-mers of TSLP, it was demonstrated that the antimicrobial effect is primarily mediated by the C-terminal region of the protein. MKK34 (MKKRRKRKVTTNKCLEQVSQLQGLWRRFNRPLLK), a peptide spanning a C-terminal a-helical region in TSLP, showed potent antimicrobial activities, in physiological salt conditions and in the presence of human plasma. Fluorescent studies of peptide-treated bacteria, electron microscopy and liposome leakage models showed that MKK34 exerted membrane-disrupting effects comparable to those of the classical AMP LL-37. Moreover, TSLP was degraded into multiple fragments by staphylococcal V8 proteinase. One major antimicrobial degradation fragment was found to encompass the C-terminal antimicrobial region defined by the MKK34 peptide. We here describe a novel antimicrobial role for TSLP. The antimicrobial activity is primarily mediated by the C-terminal part of the protein. In combination with the previously known cytokine function of TSLP, our result indicates dual functions of the molecule and a previously unknown role in host defense.
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| 8. |
- Meisgen, Florian, et al.
(author)
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MiR-21 is up-regulated in psoriasis and suppresses T cell apoptosis.
- 2012
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In: Experimental dermatology. - : Wiley. - 0906-6705 .- 1600-0625. ; 21:4, s. 312-4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. Previously, in a genome-wide screen, we found deregulation of microRNA expression in psoriasis skin. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is one of the microRNAs significantly up-regulated in psoriasis skin lesions. To identify the cell type responsible for the increased miR-21 level, we compared expression of miR-21 in epidermal cells and dermal T cells between psoriasis and healthy skin and found elevated levels of miR-21 in psoriasis in both cell types. In cultured T cells, expression of miR-21 increased markedly upon activation. To explore the function of miR-21 in primary human T helper cells, we inhibited miR-21 using a tiny seed-targeting LNA-anti-miR. Specific inhibition of miR-21 increased the apoptosis rate of activated T cells. Our results suggest that miR-21 suppresses apoptosis in activated T cells, and thus, overexpression of miR-21 may contribute to T cell-derived psoriatic skin inflammation.
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| 9. |
- Murakami, Masamoto, et al.
(author)
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Patients with palmoplantar pustulosis have increased IL-17 and IL-22 levels both in the lesion and serum
- 2011
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In: Experimental dermatology. - : Wiley. - 0906-6705 .- 1600-0625. ; 20:10, s. 845-847
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent findings about the pathogenesis of pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP), also known as palmoplantar pustulosis, suggest that IL-17 expression in the acrosyringium as well as infiltration of IL-17 positive cells, e. g. Langerhans cells may play important roles. However, to date, it has not been established whether circulating IL-17 related cytokines are involved in PPP. We studied the circulating IL-17 related cytokines as well as the mRNA levels in lesional skin. IL-17 related cytokine mRNAs were increased in the PPP lesions compared with the control tissues (five patients vs five controls). The serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-17, IL-22 and IFN-gamma also were significantly increased in PPP, but not IL-23 and IL-8 (48 patients vs 20 controls). Our findings document that not only the serum IL-17 but also tissue IL-17 are elevated in PPP and may be in the pathogenesis of this disorder.
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