title: Enhanced expression of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 in lesional skin of adults with atopic eczema.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atopic eczema (AE) is a common multifactorial chronic skin disease associated with a defective skin barrier and increased susceptibility to skin infections. The human cathelicidin LL-37 plays a role in the host defence of skin. Studies have demonstrated deficient expression of LL-37 in skin of AE patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of LL-37 in lesional skin compared with nonlesional skin in patients with different severity of AE, patients with other eczema and healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with AE, four patients with other eczema and 10 healthy subjects were included. Severity of AE was graded using SCORing of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD). Skin biopsies were taken from lesional and nonlesional skin from all patients and from skin of healthy controls. The levels of LL-37 mRNA were analysed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Evaluation of dermal and epidermal protein expression of LL-37 and the degree of inflammation was performed by immunohistochemical stainings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with AE and patients with other eczema had significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels of LL-37 in lesional skin than in nonlesional skin. The expression of LL-37 was not statistically associated to severity of AE valued by SCORAD. Nonlesional skin from patients did not differ from skin of healthy subjects in terms of LL-37 expression. In the presence of epidermal injury or vesicles the LL-37 peptide was always detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with AE exhibit enhanced expression of LL-37 in lesional skin compared with nonlesional, suggesting a role of LL-37 in AE that might be associated with the process of re-epithelialization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, Sach's Children's Hospital, Södersjukhuset, 118 83 Stockholm, Sweden. natalia.ballardini@sodersjukhuset.se
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ballardini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lilja
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindh
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Linde
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheynius
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Agerberth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001706:Biopsy; D054804:Cathelicidins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D054804:Cathelicidins; D012333:RNA, Messenger