Substance P Antagonist Aprepitant Shows no Additive Effect Compared with Standardized Topical Treatment Alone in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, itchy, inflammatory skin disorder that may worsen due to stress and anxiety. Tachykinins have been suggested to be involved in the inflammation in AD, as well as pruritus. Aprepitant is a NK-1 receptor antagonist.

MicroRNA-125b down-regulates matrix metallopeptidase 13 and inhibits cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common human cancer. Although dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is known to be involved in a variety of cancers, the role of miRNAs in cSCC is unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify tumor suppressive and oncogenic miRNAs involved in the pathogenesis of cSCC.

Antioxidants protect keratinocytes against M. ulcerans mycolactone cytotoxicity.

Background: Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of necrotizing skin ulcerations in distinctive geographical areas. M. ulcerans produces a macrolide toxin, mycolactone, which has been identified as an important virulence factor in ulcer formation.

Topical treatment with the vitamin D analogue calcipotriol enhances the upregulation of the antimicrobial protein hCAP18/LL-37 during wounding in human skin in vivo.

Cathelicidin antimicrobial protein, hCAP18, is the sole cathelin protein in human. Its C-terminal peptide, which is released enzymatically from the holoprotein, has broad antimicrobial activity but also has effects on eukaryotic cells. hCAP18 is present in leukocytes and is produced at epithelial interfaces as part of the innate immune system.

Injury downregulates the expression of the human cathelicidin protein hCAP18/LL-37 in atopic dermatitis.

Reduced production of antimicrobial peptides was proposed to contribute to susceptibility for skin infections in atopic dermatitis (AD). Focusing on the human cathelicidin protein, hCAP18, the aim of the present study was to explore whether reduced hCAP18 expression is a constitutive trait in AD and if established inducers affect the expression of hCAP18 in the skin of AD. First, we compared levels of hCAP18 mRNA between lesional skin in AD and psoriasis and verified significantly lower expression of hCAP18 mRNA in AD.

Antimicrobial protein hCAP18/LL-37 is highly expressed in breast cancer and is a putative growth factor for epithelial cells.

Human cathelicidin antimicrobial protein hCAP18/LL-37 is an effector molecule of the nonspecific innate immune system. hCAP18/LL-37 is present in leukocytes and is expressed in skin and other epithelia, where it is upregulated in association with inflammation and injury. In addition, antimicrobial proteins including cathelicidins have been proposed to play a role in the nonspecific defense against tumors.

The cathelicidin anti-microbial peptide LL-37 is involved in re-epithelialization of human skin wounds and is lacking in chronic ulcer epithelium.

The human cathelicidin anti-microbial protein, hCAP18 is a component of the innate immune system and has broad anti-microbial activity conferred by its C-terminal fragment LL-37. hCAP18 is constitutively produced in leukocytes and is induced in barrier organs upon inflammation and infection. We demonstrate here a novel role for this peptide in re-epithelialization of skin wounds.