Characterization of surfactant-induced skin damage through barrier recovery induced by pseudoacylceramides.
OBJECTIVE
To determine how much barrier-reinforcing effects of ceramides contribute to prevent the surfactant-induced cutaneous deterioration.


METHODS
We compared the effects of topical application of two types of pseudoceramides on cutaneous deterioration induced by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treatment for 10 days in association with alterations of barrier function.


RESULTS
Daily application of pseudoacylceramide immediately after each SDS treatment significantly prevented the marked elevation of transepidermal water loss, which was accompanied by a marked abrogation of the increased expression in intercellular adhesion molecule 1 by epidermal cells as well as by suppressed epidermal hyperplasia. In contrast, topical application of a nonacylated pseudoceramide with poor barrier-reinforcing potential showed less preventive effects on cutaneous deterioration.


CONCLUSIONS
These results strongly suggest that perturbation of the skin barrier is a causative factor in surfactant-induced cutaneous changes and that reinforcing the barrier function by ceramide application is effective in preventing the surfactant-induced skin deterioration.
Takagi
Yutaka
Y
Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
Nakagawa
Hidemi
H
Higuchi
Kazuhiko
K
Imokawa
Genji
G
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002518:Ceramides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010539:Permeability; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012869:Skin Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible
D002518:Ceramides; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate