title: RIPping the Skin Apart: Necroptosis Signaling in Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.
abstract: Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare but potentially fatal drug hypersensitivity reaction. Although a number of pathophysiological hints have been identified over the past decade, details of the effector mechanisms within the skin remain obscure. A novel study by Kim et al. now sheds light on its pathophysiology. The investigators demonstrate convincingly that receptor-interacting kinase 3 (RIPK3) levels are upregulated substantially in the lesional skin of patients with TEN and that this is followed by the generation of reactive oxygen species, activation of mixed lineage kinase-like protein, and subsequent necroptotic cell death of keratinocytes. These data suggest that therapies that interfere with RIPK3 activation and necroptosis induction could benefit patients with TEN.
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Panayotova-Dimitrova
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feoktistova
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany; Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany; Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Medical Faculty of the RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: mleverkus@ukaachen.de.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leverkus
mesh_terms: D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D053422:Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011494:Protein Kinases; D053422:Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases