title: The Skin as a Route of Allergen Exposure: Part II. Allergens and Role of the Microbiome and Environmental Exposures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This second part of the article aims to highlight recent contributions in the literature that enhance our understanding of the cutaneous immune response to allergen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several properties of allergens facilitate barrier disruption and cutaneous sensitization. There is a strong epidemiologic relationship between the microbiome, both the gut and skin, and atopic dermatitis (AD). The mechanisms connecting these two entities remain enigmatic; however, recent murine models show that commensal skin bacteria play an active role in supporting skin barrier homeostasis and defense against microbial penetration. Likewise, the association between the lack of colonization with Staph species and AD development suggests a potentially functional role for these organisms in regulating the skin barrier and response to environmental allergens. In undisrupted skin, evidence suggests that the cutaneous route may promote allergen tolerance. Properties of environmental allergens and commensal bacteria add to the complex landscape of skin immunity. Further investigation is needed to elucidate how these properties regulate the cutaneous immune response to allergen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.|Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, 1 Rope Ferry Road, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Knaysi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Anna R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA. jaw4he@virginia.edu.|Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA. jaw4he@virginia.edu.
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wisniewski
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens
keywords: Atopic dermatitis; Cutaneous sensitization; Detergent; Epicutaneous allergy; Skin