TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of glucocorticoids on stratum corneum lipids and function in human skin-A detailed lipidomic analysis
AU - Røpke, Mads A
AU - Alonso, Cristina
AU - Jung, Sora
AU - Norsgaard, Hanne
AU - Richter, Claudia
AU - Darvin, Maxim E
AU - Litman, Thomas
AU - Vogt, Annika
AU - Lademann, Jürgen
AU - Blume-Peytavi, Ulrike
AU - Kottner, Jan
N1 - Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/12
Y1 - 2017/12
N2 - BACKGROUND: Topical glucocorticoids (GCs) are known to induce atrophy of human skin including thinning of epidermal and dermal compartments by influencing keratinocyte proliferation and synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins. GCs are also known to reduce skin barrier integrity but little is known about the changes in lipid composition in human skin following topical administration of GCs.OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of GCs on stratum corneum (SC) function and lipid profile of human skin in vivo.METHOD: Over a period of 4 weeks, 16 healthy volunteers were treated on the forearms once daily with topical clobetasol proprionate (CP), betamethasone diproprionate (BDP) or vehicle. One day after last application (Day 29) SC lipids were collected by tape stripping and analysed by a high sensitivity liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Gene expression was analysed in skin biopsies. The full skin, epidermal and SC thickness were assessed by ultrasound, optical coherence tomography and confocal microscopy, respectively, and barrier integrity was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL).RESULTS: Compared to vehicle controls, GCs induced significant alterations in SC lipid profiles. CP caused a reduction in 98 lipids of 226 analysed while BDP treatment only resulted in a significant change of 29 lipids. Most pronounced changes occurred among long chain, ester-linked, ceramide classes while other ceramide classes were much less affected. Almost the complete profile of triacylglycerols (TGs) was significantly decreased by CP while more modest changes were observed in free fatty acids. Topical GCs reduced the thickness of skin layers and increased TEWL. GC treatment also induced changes in expression of genes coding for extracellular markers and enzymes involved in lipid synthesis.CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a reduction in specific SC lipid classes following topical GC treatment of human skin and contributes to the characterisation of the barrier disruption in human skin induced by topical steroids.
AB - BACKGROUND: Topical glucocorticoids (GCs) are known to induce atrophy of human skin including thinning of epidermal and dermal compartments by influencing keratinocyte proliferation and synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins. GCs are also known to reduce skin barrier integrity but little is known about the changes in lipid composition in human skin following topical administration of GCs.OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of GCs on stratum corneum (SC) function and lipid profile of human skin in vivo.METHOD: Over a period of 4 weeks, 16 healthy volunteers were treated on the forearms once daily with topical clobetasol proprionate (CP), betamethasone diproprionate (BDP) or vehicle. One day after last application (Day 29) SC lipids were collected by tape stripping and analysed by a high sensitivity liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Gene expression was analysed in skin biopsies. The full skin, epidermal and SC thickness were assessed by ultrasound, optical coherence tomography and confocal microscopy, respectively, and barrier integrity was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL).RESULTS: Compared to vehicle controls, GCs induced significant alterations in SC lipid profiles. CP caused a reduction in 98 lipids of 226 analysed while BDP treatment only resulted in a significant change of 29 lipids. Most pronounced changes occurred among long chain, ester-linked, ceramide classes while other ceramide classes were much less affected. Almost the complete profile of triacylglycerols (TGs) was significantly decreased by CP while more modest changes were observed in free fatty acids. Topical GCs reduced the thickness of skin layers and increased TEWL. GC treatment also induced changes in expression of genes coding for extracellular markers and enzymes involved in lipid synthesis.CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a reduction in specific SC lipid classes following topical GC treatment of human skin and contributes to the characterisation of the barrier disruption in human skin induced by topical steroids.
KW - Administration, Cutaneous
KW - Adult
KW - Betamethasone/pharmacology
KW - Cell Membrane/chemistry
KW - Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods
KW - Clobetasol/pharmacology
KW - Enzymes/genetics
KW - Gene Expression Profiling
KW - Glucocorticoids/pharmacology
KW - Healthy Volunteers
KW - Humans
KW - Lipid Metabolism/drug effects
KW - Lipids/analysis
KW - Male
KW - Mass Spectrometry/methods
KW - Microscopy, Confocal
KW - Ointments
KW - Skin/cytology
KW - Tomography, Optical Coherence
U2 - 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2017.08.009
DO - 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2017.08.009
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 28911799
SN - 0923-1811
VL - 88
SP - 330
EP - 338
JO - Journal of Dermatological Science
JF - Journal of Dermatological Science
IS - 3
ER -
