title: Effect of the lactic acid bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus on stratum corneum ceramide levels and signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis patients.
abstract: A reduced amount of total ceramides could be responsible for functional abnormalities of the skin of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. The ability of an experimental cream containing sonicated Streptococcus thermophilus to increase skin ceramide levels in healthy subjects has been previously reported. The aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of the topical administration of a S. thermophilus-containing cream on ceramide levels of stratum corneum from AD patients. A 2-week application of the cream, containing a sonicated preparation of the lactic acid bacterium S. thermophilus, in the forearm skin of 11 patients led to a significant and relevant increase of skin ceramide amounts, which could have resulted from the sphingomyelin hydrolysis through the bacterial sphingomyelinase. Moreover, in all patients the topical application of our experimental cream also resulted in the improvement of the signs and symptoms characteristic of AD skin (i.e. erythema, scaling, pruritus).
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug's Science, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti Scalo, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Marzio
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Centi
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cinque
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masci
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giuliani
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arcieri
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zicari
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Simone
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cifone
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002518:Ceramides / Q000378:metabolism*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013010:Sonication; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000201:enzymology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase