Vasoconstriction and anti-inflammatory properties of the selective α-adrenergic receptor agonist brimonidine.

Background: The facial erythema of rosacea is recognized as the most prevalent and most difficult manifestation of rosacea to treat. A recent approach in patients with rosacea has been to reduce this erythema through vasoconstriction of cutaneous blood vessels by selectively targeting α2-adrenergic receptors with brimonidine.

Objective: To further investigate the pharmacodynamic profile of brimonidine, its vasoconstrictive effects and its anti-inflammatory properties.

UVB-induced skin inflammation and cutaneous tissue injury is dependent on the MHC class I-like protein, CD1d.

CD1d is a major histocompatibility complex class 1-like molecule that regulates the function and development of natural killer T (NKT) cells. Previously, we identified a critical role for the CD1d-NKT cell arm of innate immunity in promoting the development of UVB-induced p53 mutations, immune suppression, and skin tumors. Sunburn, an acute inflammatory response to UVB-induced cutaneous tissue injury, represents a clinical marker for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) risk.