title: Substance P levels are decreased in lesional skin of atopic dermatitis.
abstract: There is increasing evidence that neuropeptides (NP) such as substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) are involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide levels were found to be significantly elevated in lesional skin of AD as compared to controls. We evaluated by radioimmunoassay the SP content in whole skin homogenates from chronic lichenified lesions of patients with AD. The levels of SP were significantly decreased in lesional skin from AD patients as compared to control skin (0.25 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.97 +/- 0.24 pmol/g tissue, p < 0.01). The diminished SP levels as opposed to increased VIP concentrations could be consistent with different roles of these NP as modulatory agents in the mechanisms associated with AD.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, University of Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fantini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pincelli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Romualdi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donatini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannetti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012016:Reference Values; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013373:Substance P