As keratinocytes were derived from epidermal stem cells of the hair follicles and were obtained from nonlesional sites, differences found are likely to present an intrinsic feature of psoriasis epithelium. Our data support the significance of IL-1 family members as therapeutic targets in psoriasis conditions.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, which is characteristically associated with intense pruritus and eczematous lesions. 1 Robert Willan, an English dermatologist, was the first to describe the disease in 1808. 2 In most countries, over 20% of children are affected at least once during a period of their lives. [3][4][5] Despite the fact that 85% of all cases manifest before the age of five, AD can occur lifelong and the prevalence of AD is still high in adulthood. 6-8 Surprisingly, recent data based on two birth cohorts revealed that only 38% of adult AD patients in the United Kingdom reported a childhood onset of symptoms. 9Patients suffering from AD are prone to viral and bacterial infections. 5 Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections are particularly common in AD patients, leading to superinfection. 10
Purpose of review
This review summarizes the mode of action of IL-4 and IL-13 in skin allergy, upcoming therapeutics and depicts key outcomes of the latest clinical trials.
Recent findings
Atopic dermatitis is considered to be one of the most common inflammatory skin disease in industrialized countries. Accompanied by strong pruritus, atopic dermatitis has a significant impact on quality of life in severely affected individuals. Aside from unspecific immunosuppressant medications, therapeutics targeting the key cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 and their downstream mediators are under development or have been approved just recently with outstanding potential.
Summary
The recent development of several biologics and small compounds has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of atopic dermatitis, and applying this set of state-of-the-art drugs will provide a unique chance to gain insights into this skin disorder, patient subgroups, and key inflammatory mediators.
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