title: Innate immune defects in atopic dermatitis.
abstract: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic inflammatory skin disease that becomes clinically apparent in the pediatric population. It is well recognized that subjects with AD have an increased susceptibility to cutaneous colonization and infection with bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The notion that subjects with AD have a cutaneous immune defect has received widespread acceptance, and several plausible explanations for this have been proposed. We will review the evidence that this susceptibility to cutaneous infection is at least in part due to a defect in the first line of defense against microbes, namely the innate immune system.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Asthma and Allergy Center, 5501 Hopkins Bayview Circle, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Laura Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: McGirt
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Beck
mesh_terms: D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000502:physiology; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000502:physiology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000502:physiology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000502:physiology; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D023083:beta-Defensins