Stratum Corneum Ceramide Profiles Provide Reliable Indicators of Remission and Potential Flares in Atopic Dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Prevention of exacerbation of AD is a crucial issue for all physicians. However, exacerbation of AD often is seen during reduction of AD treatment, even with appropriate follow-up by tapered topical corticosteroids and daily topical moisturizers, indicating the need for good indicators of AD remission. We hypothesized that the presence of mutations in FLG or the stratum corneum ceramide profile on AD remission phase may predict the ease of AD exacerbation. This study examined the differences in the frequency of FLG mutations or stratum corneum ceramide profiles (stratum corneum levels and carbon chain length for 11 ceramide classes [ceramides containing nonhydroxy fatty acids and dihydrosphingosines; nonhydroxy fatty acids and sphingosines; nonhydroxy fatty acids and 6-hydroxysphingosines; nonhydroxy fatty acids and phytosphingosines; a-hydroxy fatty acids and dihydrosphingosines; a-hydroxy fatty acids and sphingosines; a-hydroxy fatty acids and 6-hydroxysphingosines; a-hydroxy fatty acids and phytosphingosines; ester-linked fatty acids, o-hydroxy fatty acids, and sphingosines; ester-linked fatty acids, o-hydroxy fatty acids, and 6-hydroxysphingosines; and ester-linked fatty acids, o-hydroxy fatty acids, and phytosphingosines]) at AD remission phase between the two AD study groups: subsequent exacerbation (‒) and (+) of AD. The frequency of FLG mutations did not differ between the study groups. On the other hand, the carbon chain lengths of ceramides containing nonhydroxy fatty acids and dihydrosphingosines, nonhydroxy fatty acids and sphingosines, and nonhydroxy fatty acids and 6-hydroxysphingosines were shorter in the exacerbated AD group than in the maintained-AD group. Thus, the stratum corneum ceramide profile at the remission phase of AD is a potential biomarker, predicting the likelihood of substantial AD remission or subsequent AD exacerbation.

Rubbing the skin when removing makeup cosmetics is a major factor that worsens skin conditions in atopic dermatitis patients.

BACKGROUND: Many patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) know that harsh rubbing of their skin might worsen their skin symptoms. They consider that the force they use to rub their skin when removing their makeup cosmetics should not be hard and their cleansing habits could worsen their skin symptoms. However, we presume that the force they use to rub their skin may still be strong and might worsen their skin symptoms. AIMS: We characterized the effects of rubbing the skin of AD patients during cleansing of makeup cosmetics. PATIENTS/METHODS: A cleansing oil which has a higher cleansing ability compared the cleansers used daily by the subjects but required less rubbing force was used. We performed a 4-week clinical trial of this cleansing oil on 35 female subjects who had mild AD skin symptoms on their faces. Each subject used the cleansing oil instead of their usual makeup remover without changing their other facial skin care habits. Prior to the study, and at the end of weeks 1 and 4, the skin conditions of each subject were evaluated. RESULTS: Four weeks of usage of this cleansing oil significantly decreased skin dryness, scaling, irritation, erythema, and itchiness. Higher improvements were observed for subjects who had previously used cleansers with less cleansing ability. Accompanying those improvements, a significant increase in moisture-retention ability and a significant decrease in transepidermal water loss were observed. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that many AD patients cleanse their face with hard rubbing of their skin because of the low cleansing ability of their skin cleansers and may worsen their AD skin symptoms without realizing it.

Synthesis and DNA-binding properties of water-soluble cationic pyropheophorbides derived from chlorophyll a/b.

A series of mono-, di-, tetra- and hexacationic esters of pyropheophorbide a/b have been designed and synthesized to explore the intercalation of their phorbine ring between the base pairs of double-helical DNA and the influence of their peripheral substituents on the DNA interactions. Mono-(1), di-(2, 3) and tetra-(4, 5) cationic pyropheophorbides are soluble as an oligomeric aggregate in HEPES buffer, but hexa-(6) cationic pyropheophorbide is soluble as a monomer at lower concentrations. The interaction of these cationic pyropheophorbide derivatives with DNA has been investigated by DNA unwinding assay, fluorescence energy transfer, and measurements of the melting temperature of the double-helical DNA and visible absorption spectra. Dicationic 2 and 3 bind outside the double-helical DNA without and/or with self-aggregation and with self-aggregation, respectively, because they cannot intercalate between the base-pairs due to their aggregation. On the other hand, tetracationic 4 and 5 and hexacationic 6 intercalate between the base pairs of the double-helical DNA. The binding mode of the cationic pyropheophorbides a/b is strongly dependent on the number and position of the cationic peripheral substituents of the pyropheophorbides.

DNA-binding properties and photocleavage activity of cationic water-soluble chlorophyll derivatives.

Three cationic water-soluble chlorin e(6) derivatives, that is, 6a-,gammab-,7c-tris(2-trimethylammonioethyl)chlorin e(6) (1), 6a-,gammab-,7c-tris(3-methylpyridiniummethyl)chlorin e(6) (2), and 6a-,gammab-, 7c-tris(2-trimethylammonioethyl)-2-(3-trimethylammonioprop-1-enyl)chlorin e(6) (3), have been designed and synthesized to allow the study of their DNA-binding and -photocleavage activities. The DNA-unwinding assay, measurements of melting temperatures of double-stranded DNA, and the induced CD and visible absorption spectra have revealed that 1 and 3 are intercalated into the base pairs of the double-helical DNA, while 2 is bound to outside the minor groove of the double-helical DNA. The cationic water-soluble chlorin e(6) derivatives effectively cleave the double-helical DNA under photoirradiation and the DNA-photocleavage activity increases in the order 3>1>2. The DNA-binding and -photocleavage characteristics of the three cationic water-soluble chlorin e(6) derivatives are influenced by aspects of their molecular structure, such as the kind, number, and position of the cationic substituents.