title: Cytokines as therapeutic targets in skin inflammation.
abstract: This review focuses on treatment targets for the most common inflammatory skin diseases, eczema and psoriasis with an emphasis on cytokines expressed in the uppermost layer of the skin which is easily accessible for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Recently, a significant body of research has highlighted the influence of the skin barrier and the patients' microbiome on skin inflammatory responses and we will comment on their impact on mediator regulation. Itch is a prominent dermatology symptom which is influenced by cytokines and can via itch-scratch cycle impact on the skin barrier and mediator expression associated with damage. Taking the contribution of pruritus and superficial skin damage into account, we address cytokines as targets for stratified treatment approaches in subgroups of eczema and psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS7 4SA, UK; NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds LS7 4SA, UK; Centre for Skin Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK. Electronic address: M.Wittmann@leeds.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wittmann
authors.affiliation: Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS7 4SA, UK; NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds LS7 4SA, UK. Electronic address: D.G.McGonagle@leeds.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGonagle
authors.affiliation: Department for Dermatology and Allergy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: Werfel.thomas@mh-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Werfel
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology; D011537:Pruritus / Q000276:immunology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000293:injuries; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines
keywords: Antimicrobial peptides; Atopic dermatitis; Keratinocytes; Microbiome; Pruritus; Psoriasis