Experimental dermatology
-
Experimental dermatology · May 2015
Loureirin B inhibits fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition in hypertrophic scar via TGF-β/Smad pathway.
The ethanolic extract of Resina Draconis (RDEE) has been reported beneficial to normal wound healing yielding more regularly arranged collagen fibres. Loureirin B, a major component in RDEE, has been supposed to be effective on the prevention and treatment of pathological scars. To investigate the therapeutic effects of loureirin B on hypertrophic scar (HS), fibroblasts from human HS and normal skin (NS) were isolated. ⋯ Loureirin B also affected mRNA levels of major MMPs and TIMPs in TGF-β1-stimulated fibroblasts. Taken together, this study demonstrates that loureirin B could downregulate the expression of fibrosis-related molecules by regulating MMPs and TIMPs levels, inhibit scar fibroblast proliferation and suppress TGF-β1-induced fibrosis, during which TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway is likely involved. These findings suggest that loureirin B is a potential therapeutic compound for HS treatment.
-
Experimental dermatology · Mar 2015
ReviewThe NET, the trap and the pathogen: neutrophil extracellular traps in cutaneous immunity.
Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), large chromatin structures casted with various proteins, are externalized by neutrophils upon induction by both self- and non-self-stimuli. It has become clear that NETs are potent triggers of inflammation in autoimmune skin diseases. ⋯ However, the outcome of the encounter between pathogens and NETs remains highly controversial. Here, we discuss recent insights into the morphology and formation of NETs, their role in skin inflammation and how NETs might contribute to host protection in skin infection.
-
Experimental dermatology · Feb 2015
Dietary deficiencies of unsaturated fatty acids and starch cause atopic dermatitis-like pruritus in hairless mice.
Hairless mice fed with a special diet (named HR-AD) show atopic dermatitis (AD)-like pruritic skin inflammation that is almost completely resolved with the supplementation of an unsaturated fatty acid (UFA), the linoleic acid (LA). This suggests that the dietary deficiency of LA is the key cause of this dermatitis. However, because there is no appropriate control diet for HR-AD, the involvement of other dietary ingredients cannot be ruled out. ⋯ Furthermore, the supplementation of wheat starch similarly improved skin barrier function. In conclusion, this study showed that a lack of certain starches might also be the cause of diet-induced AD. Our findings could help to reproduce the diet-induced AD itch model and also provide evidence that certain starches can have protective and ameliorative effects on AD-like pruritus.
-
Experimental dermatology · Dec 2014
Letter Randomized Controlled TrialPolidocanol inhibits cowhage - but not histamine-induced itch in humans.
Polidocanol is a local anaesthetic and antipruritic compound that is used in the treatment of itching skin conditions such as eczema. Its mechanisms of action are largely ill defined. This study has compared the antipruritic efficacy of topical polidocanol in histamine-induced itch and a histamine-independent, cowhage-induced model of pruritus. ⋯ Itch was recorded at 1-min intervals for 30 min on a 100-mm visual analogue scale. Polidocanol significantly reduced the area under the curve for cowhage-induced itch by 58% (P < 0.05), but had no significant effect on histamine-induced itch. This result underlines the importance of histamine-independent itch models in the development of topical antipruritic agents.