title: Effect of allergens and irritants on levels of natural moisturizing factor and corneocyte morphology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The irritant sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is known to cause a decrease in the stratum corneum level of natural moisturizing factor (NMF), which in itself is associated with changes in corneocyte surface topography.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore this phenomenon in allergic contact dermatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patch testing was performed on patients with previously positive patch test reactions to potassium dichromate (Cr), nickel sulfate (Ni), methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)/methylisothiazolinone (MI), or p-phenylenediamine. Moreover, a control (pet.) patch and an irritant (SLS) patch were applied. After 3 days, the stratum corneum from tested sites was collected, and NMF levels and corneocyte morphology, expressed as the amount of circular nanosize objects, quantified according to the Dermal Texture Index (DTI), were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among allergens, only MCI/MI reduced NMF levels significantly, as did SLS. Furthermore, only MCI/MI caused remarkable changes at the microscopic level; the corneocytes were hexagonal-shaped with pronounced cell borders and a smoother surface. The DTI was increased after SLS exposure but not after allergen exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MCI/MI significantly decreased NMF levels, similarly to SLS. The altered corneocyte morphology suggests that skin barrier damage plays a role in the pathogenesis of MCI/MI contact allergy. The DTI seems to differentiate reactions to SLS from those to the allergens tested, as SLS was the only agent that caused a DTI increase.
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Department: Coronel institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Dermatology-Allergology, VU University Medical Centre, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sjors A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8833-531X
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Koppes
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb and University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Suzana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ljubojević Hadžavdić
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Laboratory for Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivone
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jakasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Clinical Hospital Centre 'Sestre Milosrdnice', 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Nika
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology, Serend-ip GmbH, Centre for Nanotechnology, 48149, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riethmüller
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb and University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ružica
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jurakić Tončic
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb and University of Zagreb School of Medicine, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marinovic
authors.affiliation: Skin Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutics, University College London, WC1N 1AX, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nidhin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.affiliation: Skin Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutics, University College London, WC1N 1AX, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Rawlings
authors.affiliation: DSM Nutritional Products Ltd., 4002, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voegeli
authors.affiliation: Skin Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutics, University College London, WC1N 1AX, London, UK.
authors.forename: Majella E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tissue Biology and Therapeutic Engineering, CNRS and University of Lyon, UMR 5305, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haftek
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Department: Coronel institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Monique H W
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Frings-Dresen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology-Allergology, VU University Medical Centre, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rustemeyer
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Department: Coronel institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kezic
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D004817:Epidermis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007509:Irritants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010328:Patch Tests; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007509:Irritants; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
keywords:  Dermal Texture Index; allergic contact dermatitis; irritant contact dermatitis; natural moisturizing factor