title: Development of TAP, a non-invasive test for qualitative and quantitative measurements of biomarkers from the skin surface.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The skin proteome contains valuable information on skin condition, but also on how skin may evolve in time and may respond to treatments. Despite the potential of measuring regulatory-, effector- and structural proteins in the skin for biomarker applications in clinical dermatology and skin care, convenient diagnostic tools are lacking. The aim of the present study was to develop a highly versatile and non-invasive diagnostic tool for multiplex measurements of protein biomarkers from the surface of skin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Transdermal Analyses Patch (TAP) is a novel molecular diagnostic tool that has been developed to capture biomarkers directly from skin, which are quantitatively analyzed in spot-ELISA assays. Optimisation of protocols for TAP production and biomarker analyses makes TAP measurements highly specific and reproducible. In measurements of interleukin-1α (IL-1α), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) and human β-defensin (hBD-1) from healthy skin, TAP appears far more sensitive than skin lavage-based methods using ELISA. No side-effects were observed using TAP on human skin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TAP is a practical and valuable new skin diagnostic tool for measuring protein-based biomarkers from skin, which is convenient to use for operators, with minimal burden for patients.
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Kadri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Orro
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Smirnova
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arshavskaja
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Salk
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meikas
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pihelgas
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Reet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rumvolt
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Raja 31, 50407 Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Külli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kingo
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Aram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazarjan
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Toomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Neuman
authors.affiliation: FibroTx LLC, Mäealuse 4, 12918 Tallinn, Estonia ; PS! Pharmaconsult, Møllemoseparken 44, 3450 Allerød, Denmark.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spee
keywords: Biomarker; CXCL-1; CXCL-2; Dermatology; Diagnostics; Interleukin 1RA; Interleukin 1α; Skin care; Transdermal analyses patch; β-defensin-1