Effect of dihydrotestosterone on the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines in cultured sebocytes.
Acne is a complex, chronic and common skin disorder of pilosebaceous units. Hyperkeratinization of keratinocytes, increased sebum excretion from sebocytes via androgen stimulation and inflammatory cytokines are the major factors involved in the pathophysiology of acne. In addition, it is known that keratinocytes play an important role in acne synthesizing a number of inflammatory cytokines. However, the nature of the association between inflammatory cytokines and sebocytes in acne remains unclear. Culture of sebocytes provides a new insight into the participation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the production of inflammatory cytokines in acne. To examine the possible involvement of DHT in the production of inflammatory cytokines in the cultured sebocytes, we used immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR to compare the expression of interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Upregulation of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in immunohistochemistry, and increase in RNA amplification for IL-6 and TNF-alpha were observed after addition of DHT compared with the control. This study suggests that DHT may not only be involved in sebum production but also in production of proinflammatory cytokines in acne.
Lee
Weon Ju
WJ
Department of Dermatology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea. weonju@knu.ac.kr
Jung
Hong Dae
HD
Chi
Seong Geun
SG
Kim
Byung Soo
BS
Lee
Seok-Jong
SJ
Kim
Do Won
DW
Kim
Moon Kyu
MK
Kim
Jung Chul
JC
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000473:pathology; D012629:Sebum / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone