RESUMO
Gentiana lutea is a bitter herb that is traditionally used to improve gastric disorders. Recently, we have shown that Gentiana lutea extract (GE) also modulates the lipid metabolism of human keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, we investigated the role of GE on ceramide synthesis in human primary keratinocytes (HPKs) and psoriasis-like keratinocytes. We could demonstrate that GE increased the concentrations of glucosylceramides and the ceramide AS/AdS subclass without affecting the overall ceramide content in HPKs. The expression of ceramide synthase 3 (CERS3) and elongases (ELOVL1 and 4) was reduced in psoriasis lesions compared to healthy skin. Psoriasis-like HPKs, generated by stimulating HPKs with cytokines that are involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis (IL-17, TNF-α, IL-22 and IFN-γ) showed increased levels of IL-6, IL-8 and increased expression of DEFB4A, as well as decreased expression of ELOVL4. The treatment with GE partly rescued the reduced expression of ELOVL4 in psoriasis-like HPKs and augmented CERS3 expression. This study has shown that GE modulates ceramide synthesis in keratinocytes. Therefore, GE might be a novel topical treatment for skin diseases with an altered lipid composition such as psoriasis.
Assuntos
Ceramidas/metabolismo , Gentiana/química , Queratinócitos/citologia , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Psoríase/metabolismo , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Células Cultivadas , Proteínas do Olho/genética , Proteínas do Olho/metabolismo , Elongases de Ácidos Graxos/genética , Elongases de Ácidos Graxos/metabolismo , Regulação da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Queratinócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Queratinócitos/metabolismo , Metabolismo dos Lipídeos/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas de Membrana/genética , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Extratos Vegetais/química , Cultura Primária de Células , Psoríase/genética , Esfingosina N-Aciltransferase/genética , Esfingosina N-Aciltransferase/metabolismoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Therapeutic options for atopic dermatitis mostly address the symptoms but causal therapies are still missing. Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) agonists exert beneficial effects in patients suffering this disease, whereas the stimulation of PPARα and γ seemed most promising. OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the effects of the PPARα specific agonist WY14643, the PPARγ agonist ciglitazone, and the dual PPARα+γ agonist docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the homeostasis and barrier function of filaggrin deficient skin. METHODS: The effects of the PPAR agonists on skin differentiation were evaluated via qPCR, Western blot, histological or immunofluorescence staining. Skin lipid organization was determined by ATR-FTIR and lipid composition was analyzed by HPTLC. Ultimately, the skin barrier function was assessed by skin absorption studies using the radioactively labeled compound testosterone. RESULTS: Significant upregulation of filaggrin after DHA and WY14643 supplementation, but no effect of ciglitazone, on protein and mRNA level was detected. DHA and WY14643, but not ciglitazone, normalized the molar ratio of the main skin barrier lipids to 1:1:1 (free fatty acids:ceramides:cholesterol). Furthermore, DHA and WY14643 supplementation normalized the skin lipid profile in filaggrin deficient skin, but only WY14643 significantly improved the skin barrier function. CONCLUSION: Supplementation particularly with the PPARα agonist WY14643 improved the homeostasis and barrier function of filaggrin deficient skin models by normalization of the free fatty acid profile underlining the potential of PPAR agonists for the treatment of filaggrin-associated skin diseases.