title: Cigarette smoke-induced interleukin-1 alpha may be involved in the pathogenesis of adult acne.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lipid peroxide (LPO) in comedones, which are produced as a result of sebum oxidation, might potentially induce interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and exacerbate comedogenesis and inflammatory changes in comedones.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship of proinflammatory cytokines and LPO levels in the extracts of comedones with the acne of clinical difference between smokers and non-smokers, and with the severity and distribution of the acne lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two non-smoking and 21 smoking adult acne patients were evaluated by comedone extraction and measurement of proinflammatory cytokines and LPO levels. Acne severity and distribution of the lesions were also analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to the non-smoking group, smokers had significantly higher levels of IL-1α and LPO in comedones. Their levels showed a positive correlation. However, there were no statistically significant difference between the severity or distribution of the disease and the levels of LPO and IL-1α in comedones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking may be involved in the pathogenesis of adult acne by increasing the oxidative stress that results in subsequent accumulation of LPO in comedones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Kyeong
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Kook
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: East-West Medical Research Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Loma Linda University-Adventist Health Sciences Institution, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Nack-In
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Adult acne; Comedone; Lipid peroxide; Oxidative stress; Smoking