title: Epidermal permeability barrier defects and barrier repair therapy in atopic dermatitis.
abstract: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a multifactorial inflammatory skin disease perpetuated by gene-environmental interactions and which is characterized by genetic barrier defects and allergic inflammation. Recent studies demonstrate an important role for the epidermal permeability barrier in AD that is closely related to chronic immune activation in the skin during systemic allergic reactions. Moreover, acquired stressors (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus infection) to the skin barrier may also initiate inflammation in AD. Many studies involving patients with AD revealed that defective skin barriers combined with abnormal immune responses might contribute to the pathophysiology of AD, supporting the outside-inside hypothesis. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in human and animal models, focusing on the defects of the epidermal permeability barrier, its immunologic role and barrier repair therapy in AD.
authors.affiliation: Medical Corps of Sangmudae Army Service Support Group, Republic of Korea Army Training and Doctrine Command, Jangsung, Korea.
authors.forename: Hae-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Atopic dermatitis; barrier repair therapy; skin barrier