Christos Constantin Zouboulis

Despite its potent biologic effect on human sebocytes, 13-cis retinoic acid exhibits low binding affinity for cellular retinoic acid binding proteins and nuclear retinoid receptors. Hence, 13-cis retinoic acid may represent a pro-drug possibly acting through all-trans isomerization. In this study, marked isomerization of 13-cis retinoic acid has been confirmed in cultured SZ95 sebocytes showing 2- to 15-fold higher levels of all-trans retinoic acid at 12-72 h, as measured by high ...

The antitumor activities of human interferon (IFN) alpha, beta, and gamma alone or in combination were studied on four human melanoma cell lines (StML-11, StML-12, StML-14, and SKMel-28) in various concentrations (1-50,000 IU/ml IFN alpha, 0.1-1000 IU/ml IFN beta, 1-10,000 IU/ml IFN gamma) in vitro. In all experiments IFN beta exhibited the most potent antiproliferative effect of all IFN tested. After 3 d of incubation a 50% growth inhibition was achieved with 20-40 IU/ml for natural IFN ...

The strong bactericidal properties of lauric acid (C12:0), a middle chain-free fatty acid commonly found in natural products, have been shown in a number of studies. However, it has not been demonstrated whether lauric acid can be used for acne treatment as a natural antibiotic against Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), which promotes follicular inflammation (inflammatory acne). This study evaluated the antimicrobial property of lauric acid against P. acnes both in vitro and in vivo. ...

Sebaceous glands may be involved in a pathway conceptually similar to that of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Such a pathway has been described and may occur in human skin and lately in the sebaceous glands because they express neuropeptide receptors. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is the most proximal element of the HPA axis, and it acts as central coordinator for neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to stress. To further examine the probability of an HPA ...

This paper is organized jointly by the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Task Force (TF) on Quality of Life (QoL) and Patient-Oriented Outcomes and the EADV TF on acne, rosacea and hidradenitis suppurativa (ARHS). The purpose of this paper was to present current knowledge about QoL assessment in HS, including data on HS-specific health-related (HR) QoL instruments and HRQoL changes in clinical trials, and to make practical recommendations concerning the assessment of ...

Acne causes profound negative psychological and social effects on the quality of life (QoL) of patients. The European Dermatology Forum S3-Guideline for the Treatment of Acne recommended adopting a QoL measure as an integral part of acne management. Because of constantly growing interest in health-related QoL assessment in acne and because of the high impact of acne on patients' lives, the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Force on QoL and Patient Oriented Outcomes and ...

OBJECTIVE: Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory vascular disease with no pathognomonic test. Low sensitivity of the currently applied International Study Group (ISG) clinical diagnostic criteria led to their reassessment.

METHODS: An International Team for the Revision of the International Criteria for BD (from 27 countries) submitted data from 2556 clinically diagnosed BD patients and 1163 controls with BD-mimicking diseases or presenting at least one major BD ...

BACKGROUND: Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is a commensal bacterium which is possibly involved in acne inflammation. The saturated fatty acid, lauric acid (C12:0) has been shown to possess antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties against P. acnes. Little is known concerning the potential effects of its decanoic counterpart, capric acid (C10:0).

OBJECTIVE: To examine the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of capric acid against P. acnes and to investigate the ...

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa is a painful, chronic inflammatory skin disease with few options for effective treatment. In a phase 2 trial, adalimumab, an antibody against tumor necrosis factor α, showed efficacy against hidradenitis suppurativa.

METHODS: PIONEER I and II were similarly designed, phase 3 multicenter trials of adalimumab for hidradenitis suppurativa, with two double-blind, placebo-controlled periods. In period 1, patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to 40 ...

Various sebum free fatty acids (FFAs) have shown antibacterial activity against a broad range of gram-positive bacteria, resulting in the suggestion that they are accountable, at least partially, for the direct antimicrobial activity of the skin surface. In this study, we examined the effects of sebum FFAs on the antimicrobial peptide (AMP)-mediated innate immune defense of human sebocytes. Incubation of lauric acid, palmitic acid, or oleic acid (OA) with human sebocytes dramatically ...

The embryologic development of the human sebaceous gland is closely related to the differentiation of the hair follicle and the epidermis. The number of sebaceous glands remains approximately the same throughout life, whereas their size tends to increase with age. The development and function of the sebaceous gland in the fetal and neonatal periods appear to be regulated by maternal androgens and by endogenous steroid synthesis, as well as by other morphogens. The most apparent function ...

Lipid synthesis and accumulation represent a major step in sebocyte differentiation and it may be of importance for sebocytes to express two families of transcription factors, CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins (c/EBPs) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), which were found to play a crucial role in the differentiation of adipocytes. Using the immortalized human sebaceous gland cell line SZ95 we examined the expression of the molecules before and after treatment with ...

Acne in adolescents of developed countries is an epidemic skin disease and has currently been linked to the Western diet (WD). It is the intention of this viewpoint to discuss the possible impact of WD-mediated nutrient signalling in the pathogenesis of acne. High glycaemic load and dairy protein consumption both increase insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signalling (IIS) that is superimposed on elevated IGF-1 signalling of puberty. The cell's nutritional status is primarily ...