title: Birch pollen influence the severity of atopic eczema - prospective clinical cohort pilot study and ex vivo penetration study.
abstract: There is little clinical evidence for a correlation between the severity of atopic eczema (AE) and pollen exposition. To obtain more data, we performed a clinical cohort pilot study about the influence of pollen on AE between sensitized and nonsensitized subjects and an experimental study addressing the cutaneous penetration of pollen into the skin. Fifty-five patients were monitored during birch pollen season. To study the cutaneous penetration, grass pollen allergens were applied on excised skin and the uptake in CD1c-expressing dendritic cells was investigated. The correlation between environmental pollen load and severity of the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) score and pruritus was observed, regardless of the status of sensitization. The sensitized group recovered significantly worse after the birch pollen season. Remarkably higher amounts of pollen allergens taken up by CD1c cells were detected in epidermal cells derived from skin explants with a disturbed epidermal barrier. These findings suggest an exacerbating role of pollen in AE utilizing the epidermal route.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergy, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fölster-Holst
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergy, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Jagoda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergy, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Sigo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weißmantel
authors.affiliation: Wörth, Germany.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dickschat
authors.affiliation: Beiersdorf AG, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rippke
authors.affiliation: Beiersdorf AG, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bohnsack
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergy, Division of Immunodermatology and Allergy Research, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Werfel
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergy, Division of Immunodermatology and Allergy Research, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wichmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergy, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buchner
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergy, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lademann
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Martina C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Meinke
keywords: aeroallergens; atopic eczema; seasonality; skin antigen-presenting cells; skin barrier penetration