Tachykinin upregulation in atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, inflammatory, itching skin disorder, which may worsen due to stress, depression and anxiety. Tachykinins may be involved in inflammation signaling as well as they may have a role in stress, depression and anxiety. This study aimed to measure the expression of tachykinin markers, in the skin of patients with AD, and the correlation of these tachykinins with clinical and psychodemographic parameters.

Serotonergic Markers in Atopic Dermatitis.

Stress and anxiety may worsen atopic dermatitis (AD) through the serotonin system. Serotonergic expression was measured in 28 patients with AD in relation to extent of the disease (SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis; SCORAD), pruritus intensity (visual analogue scale; VAS), anxiety traits (Swedish Universities Scales of Personality; SSP) and depression (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale-Self assessment; MADRS-S). Biopsies were taken from lesional and non-lesional AD skin, and investigated for expression of serotonin, its receptors 5-HT1A and 5-HT2, and serotonin transporter protein (SERT), using immunohistochemistry.

Chronic mild stress modulates 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptor expression in the cerebellar cortex of NC/Nga atopic-like mice.

Atopic eczema symptoms may worsen due to stress. In the present study, the cerebellar cortex of the atopic-like mouse NC/Nga was studied regarding the effect of chronic mild stress on expression of two well-characterized serotonergic receptors (R), 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A. In total 24 mice were used.

Serotonin and its 5-HT1 receptor in human mastocytosis.

Context: Human mastocytosis is a rare disease, in which the serotonergic system may be involved.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to examine the possible presence of serotonin (5-HT) and its 5-HT1A receptor (R) in the skin of patients with mastocytosis. In addition, the effect of the 5-HT1AR was tested on human mastocytosis cells, cultured in vitro.

Kinetics of neuronal contribution during the development of a contact allergic reaction.

The nervous system contributes to allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Elucidation of the implication of the nervous system during different stages of ACD could be of therapeutic value. Our aim was to study the kinetics and contribution of the nervous system to ACD by investigating innervation and expression of neuropeptides in skin biopsies obtained at 0, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h post-challenge.

Effect of chronic mild stress on serotonergic markers in the skin and brain of the NC/Nga atopic-like mouse strain.

Atopic eczema is often worsened by stress. While acute stress is associated with increased turnover of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT), chronic stress causes a decrease. In chronic stress, there is a decrease of the 5-HT1A receptor (R)- and an increase in the 5-HT2AR-responsiveness to 5-HT.

GABA and GABA(A) receptor expression on immune cells in psoriasis: a pathophysiological role.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease in which pruritus is a common symptom. Pruritus may be associated with the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system. The distribution of GABA and its GABA(A) receptor (R) was studied in involved and non-involved psoriatic skin, as well as normal healthy control skin, using an immunohistochemistry technique.

Decreased innervation of eczematous skin in NC/Nga atopic mice during chronic mild stress.

Background And Aim: A connection between chronic mild stress and altered innervation in the skin of an atopic mouse strain, NC/Nga, was studied.

Material And Methods: We used three groups of mice, stressed control (SC, stressed but not immunized with a mite antigen), non-stressed eczematous (NSE, not stressed but immunized) and stressed eczematous (SE, stressed and immunized).

Results: There was a decrease of protein gene product (PGP) 9.

Different serotonergic expression in nevomelanocytic tumors.

The neuromediator serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) has been proposed to play a role in tumor progression. Thus, the aim of the present investigation was to determine whether alterations in the serotonergic system occur in nevomelanocytic tumors. For this purpose, paraffin-embedded biopsies of superficial spreading malignant melanoma (SSM), dysplastic compound nevi (DN) and benign compound nevi (BCN) were characterized with regard to their expression of 5-HT, the 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors, and the serotonin transporter protein (SERT), by immunohistochemical analysis.

The serotonin transporter protein is expressed in psoriasis, where it may play a role in regulating apoptosis.

Since the symptoms of psoriasis may be changed by treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the expression of serotonin (5-HT) and its transporter protein (SERT) in the skin of patients with psoriasis were examined employing a biotinylated-streptavidine procedure. In biopsies of such skin staining for 5-HT was limited to platelets; the expression of SERT in the keratinocytes of involved regions was redistributed; the numbers of SERT-positive dendritic or round mononuclear cells in the epidermis of involved psoriatic skin were higher than in normal healthy control skin; and the dermis of the involved skin contained higher numbers of round inflammatory cells immunostained for SERT than either non-involved psoriatic skin or normal skin. Double-immunostaining indicated that the skin cells expressing SERT also expressed CD1a, CD3 or tryptase.

Serotonergic mechanisms in human allergic contact dermatitis.

Expression of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT), 5-HT receptors 1A (5-HT1AR) and 2A, and serotonin transporter protein (SERT) was studied in positive epicutaneous reactions to nickel sulphate in nickel-allergic patients, at 72 h post-challenge with the antigen. In addition, the effects of 5-HT2AR agonist 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI), and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) citalopram and fluoxetine, were tested on nickel-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nickel-allergic patients, regarding their proliferation and interleukin (IL)-2 production, as well as the effect of these SSRIs on a murine Langerhans' cell-like line (XS52), regarding its IL-1beta production. Serotonin-positive platelets were increased in the inflamed skin compared with control skin.

The expression and functional significance of the serotonin(2C) receptor in murine contact allergy.

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) was proposed to modulate murine contact allergy by binding to 5-HT(1A/2A) receptors (R). We examined the expression of 5-HT(2C)R in the skin of mice with contact allergy, as well as the effects of an agonist and antagonist of this receptor on the elicitation phase of this type of allergy. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of 5-HT(2C)R on epidermal dendritic cells, and in the inflamed skin the cells expressing this antigen were increased in number (P < 0.

Galanin expression in a murine model of allergic contact dermatitis.

Galanin is a neuropeptide widely distributed in the nervous system. The expression of galanin was investigated in murine contact allergy using immunohistochemistry, radioimmunoassay and in situ hybridization. Female BALB/c mice were sensitized with oxazolone and 6 days later challenged on the dorsal surface of ears, while control mice received vehicle.

Expression of serotonin receptors in allergic contact eczematous human skin.

The expression of the serotonin (5-HT) receptors 5-HT1AR, 5-HT2AR and 5-HT3R was investigated in allergic contact eczematous human skin by an indirect fluorescence method. 5-HT1AR expression was found in basal epidermal NK1-beteb-positive cells, which were more elongated and showed longer dendritic processes in contact eczematous skin than in control skin. Immunoreactivity for 5-HT1AR was also found in the upper part of the epidermis, with no difference between eczematous and control skin.