Eicosanoid and cytokine levels in acute skin irritation in response to tape stripping and capsaicin.
We assessed the effects of physical and chemical irritants on a profile of acute inflammatory mediators in normal human skin. Skin damage in both cases is accompanied by a flux of inflammatory processes and repair mechanisms, which remain imprecisely understood. We used 10 sequential cellotape strips or topical application of 0.075% capsaicin as skin irritants and characterized the subsequent production and/or release of inflammatory mediators in suction blister fluids from human skin in vivo. In tape stripped skin, levels of prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1alpha were increased 3.4-fold and 3.3-fold, respectively (p<0.0001; p<0.02), levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha were decreased 3.0-fold (p<0.01), whereas levels of interleukin-6 and leukotriene B4 in blister fluids remained relatively unchanged. For the capsaicin-treated skin, levels of mediators showed only minor differences when compared with matched controls. However, a correlation was observed between levels of prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1alpha in capsaicin pre-treated blister fluids (r=0.58, p<0.01, n=19). These data are consistent with prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1alpha playing key roles in acute skin responses to mild irritants.
Reilly
D M
DM
Biosciences Division, Unilever Research, Colworth Laboratory, Sharnbrook, Bedford, UK.
Green
M R
MR
D000208:Acute Disease; D000269:Adhesives; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D015777:Eicosanoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D000269:Adhesives; D016207:Cytokines; D015777:Eicosanoids; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D015232:Dinoprostone; D002211:Capsaicin