atopic dermatitis tagged posts

PNPLA1 is involved in acylceramide synthesis.

The gene responsible for generating acylceramide, the key lipid in forming the skin barrier that protects us from pathogens, allergens and other harmful substances. This finding could prove crucial in developing medicines for treating atopic dermatitis and ichthyosis. Defects of the skin barrier can trigger skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, which afflicts ~10% of the population in some developed countries. Acylceramide, a lipid only found in skin, plays a pivotal role in forming this barrier. Although most of the genes needed to generate this special lipid have been recently identified, the gene responsible in the final step to produce acylceramide has been missing...

Propionibacterium acnes. Credit: Matthias Mörgelin, Lund University

Rolf Lood from Lund University in Sweden has shown that the most common bacteria on human skin, Propionibacterium acnes secrete a protein which protects us from the reactive oxygen species thought to contribute to several skin diseases. The protein has an equally strong effect on dangerous oxygen species as known antioxidants eg vitamin C and E.

“The name originates from the fact that the bacterium was first discovered on a patient with severe acne. But whether it causes acne is uncertain – it may have been present merely because it is so common,” says Rolf Lood, Lund. He has discovered that the “acne bacterium” secretes a proteinm RoxP...