Sphingomyelin Deacylase, the Enzyme Involved in the Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis, Is Identical to the β-Subunit of Acid Ceramidase.

A ceramide deficiency in the stratum corneum (SC) is an essential etiologic factor for the dry and barrier-disrupted skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Previously, we reported that sphingomyelin (SM) deacylase, which hydrolyzes SM and glucosylceramide at the acyl site to yield their lysoforms sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) and glucosylsphingosine, respectively, instead of ceramide and/or acylceramide, is over-expressed in AD skin and results in a ceramide deficiency. Although the enzymatic properties of SM deacylase have been clarified, the enzyme itself remains unidentified.

Expression of CC-chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) and CXC-chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives: We tried to clarify the correlation of the expression of CCR7 and CXCR4 with lymph node and distant metastasis.

Materials And Methods: We examined expression of CCR7 and CXCR4 in 9 HNSCC cell lines and 25 HNSCC tissues by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry study. We examined the expression levels of CCR7 and CXCR4 in undifferentiated and differentiated human normal keratinocyte.