Marked Reduction of the Number and Individual Volume of Sebaceous Glands in Psoriatic Lesions

Liakou, Aikaterini I.; Nyengaard, Jens Randel; Bonovas, Stefanos; Knolle, Juergen; Makrantonaki, Evgenia; Zouboulis, Christos C.

doi:10.1159/000445942

Cited by 14 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 24 publications

(38 reference statements)

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“…While earlier studies have shown SG atrophy in scalp psoriasis (Bardazzi et al, 1999, Headington et al, 1989, Silva et al, 2012, Werner et al, 2008, Wilson et al, 1994), here we document SG atrophy in psoriatic lesions at body sites other than the scalp. Similar findings have been reported very recently utilizing sequential vertical sections of PN and PP skin from scalp and back sites (Liakou, 2015), thus confirming our observations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Sebaceous Gland Atrophy in Psoriasis: An Explanation for Psoriatic Alopecia?

Rittié

Tejasvi

Harms

et al. 2016

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

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In a transcriptome study of psoriatic (PP) vs. normal (NN) skin, we found a co-expressed gene module (N5) enriched 11.5-fold for lipid biosynthetic genes. We also observed fewer visible hairs in PP skin, compared to uninvolved (PN) or NN skin (p<0.0001). To ask whether these findings might be due to abnormalities of the pilosebaceous unit, we carried out 3D morphometric analysis of paired PP and PN biopsies. Sebaceous glands (SG) were markedly atrophic in PP vs. PN skin (91% average reduction in volume, p=0.031). Module N5 genes were strongly downregulated in PP vs. NN skin (fold-change [FC] < 0.25, 44.4-fold), and strongly up-regulated in sebaceous hyperplasia (SH, FC > 4, 54.1-fold). The intersection of PP-downregulated and SH-upregulated gene lists generated a gene expression signature consisting solely of module N5 genes, whose expression in PP vs. NN skin was inversely correlated with the signature of IL17-stimuated keratinocytes. Despite loss of visible hairs, morphometry identified elongated follicles in PP vs. PN skin (average 1.7 vs. 1.2 μm, p=0.020). These results document SG atrophy in non-scalp psoriasis, identify a cytokine-regulated set of SG signature genes, and suggest that loss of visible hair in PP skin may result from abnormal SG function.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Sebaceous Gland Atrophy in Psoriasis: An Explanation for Psoriatic Alopecia?

Rittié

Tejasvi

Harms

et al. 2016

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

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“…Antibiotics can be used to combat inflammatory acne, while retinoids, such as isotretinoin, are effective ‘comedolytics’, which reduce the number of comedones, lower sebum secretion, and cause SG involution (Dahlhoff, Zouboulis & Schneider, ; Kosmadaki & Katsambas, ). Atrophic SGs and altered sebaceous lipid composition have also been observed in patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (Prose, ; Wirth, Gloor & Stoika, ; Burton & Pye, ; Werner, Brenner & Böer, ; Takahashi et al ., ; van Smeden et al ., ; Liakou et al ., ; Rittié et al ., ), suggesting that SG dysfunction may contribute to other inflammatory skin diseases (Shi et al ., ).…”

Section: Relevance Of the Brain–sebaceous Gland Axis To Skin Physiolomentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuroendocrinology and neurobiology of sebaceous glands

et al. 2020

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The nervous system communicates with peripheral tissues through nerve fibres and the systemic release of hypothalamic and pituitary neurohormones. Communication between the nervous system and the largest human organ, skin, has traditionally received little attention. In particular, the neuro-regulation of sebaceous glands (SGs), a major skin appendage, is rarely considered. Yet, it is clear that the SG is under stringent pituitary control, and forms a fascinating, clinically relevant peripheral target organ in which to study the neuroendocrine and neural regulation of epithelia. Sebum, the major secretory product of the SG, is composed of a complex mixture of lipids resulting from the holocrine secretion of specialised epithelial cells (sebocytes). It is indicative of a role of the neuroendocrine system in SG function that excess circulating levels of growth hormone, thyroxine or prolactin result in increased sebum production (seborrhoea). Conversely, growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, and adrenal insufficiency result in reduced sebum production and dry skin. Furthermore, the androgen sensitivity of SGs appears to be under neuroendocrine control, as hypophysectomy (removal of the pituitary) renders SGs largely insensitive to stimulation by testosterone, which is crucial for maintaining SG homeostasis. However, several neurohormones, such as adrenocorticotropic hormone and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, can stimulate sebum production independently of either the testes or the adrenal glands, further underscoring the importance of neuroendocrine control in SG biology. Moreover, sebocytes synthesise several neurohormones and express their receptors, suggestive of the presence of neuro-autocrine mechanisms of sebocyte modulation. Aside from the neuroendocrine system, it is conceivable that secretion of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters from cutaneous nerve endings may also act on sebocytes or their progenitors, given that the skin is richly innervated. However, to date, the neural controls of SG development and function remain poorly investigated and incompletely understood. Botulinum toxin-mediated or facial paresis-associated reduction of human sebum secretion suggests that cutaneous nerve-derived substances modulate lipid and inflammatory cytokine synthesis by sebocytes, possibly implicating the nervous system in acne pathogenesis. Additionally, evidence suggests that cutaneous denervation in mice alters the expression of key regulators of SG homeostasis. In this review, we examine the current evidence regarding neuroendocrine and neurobiological regulation of human SG function in physiology and pathology. We further call attention to this line of research as an instructive model for probing and therapeutically manipulating the mechanistic links between the nervous system and mammalian skin.

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“…Since a thin section only shows one cross‐sectional image, it cannot capture the three‐dimensionally complex shape of a sebaceous gland. Creating volume data using serial sections can provide values of size but do not give a complete image of sebaceous glands . Using this methodology to create a complete image of a sebaceous gland would require much time and labor .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Creating volume data using serial sections can provide values of size but do not give a complete image of sebaceous glands. 19 Using this methodology to create a complete image of a sebaceous gland would require much time and labor. 13,14 For research of murine sebaceous glands, the whole mount technique is commonly used.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender‐ and age‐related differences in facial sebaceous glands in Asian skin, as observed by non‐invasive analysis using three‐dimensional ultrasound microscopy

Sugawara

Nakagawa

Shimizu

et al. 2019

Skin Research and Technology

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Background While determining sebaceous gland morphology is useful in the treatment of skin disorders such as acne, a non‐invasive assessment method has not been developed. Since age and gender affect sebum level, differences in sebaceous gland morphology according to these factors were investigated. Methods Facial skin was measured using a high‐frequency three‐dimensional ultrasound microscope. First, the ultrasound images were compared with skin sections. Next, we assessed sebaceous gland morphology. Images of sebaceous gland in the cheeks of young male, young female and elderly female subjects were obtained using ultrasound microscopy, and en face images were processed to measure the sebaceous gland area. Results In the ultrasound images, sebaceous glands and also thin collagen fibers, which surrounded the glands, could be detected as low‐intensity regions. We called them sebaceous units. In young male subjects, the sebaceous unit areas 900‐μm beneath the skin surface were larger than those at 700 μm. In contrast, depth‐dependent differences in sebaceous unit area were not observed in young female subjects, indicating that males had cauliflower‐shaped sebaceous glands while young females had somewhat more cylindrical and smaller sebaceous glands than the young males. Regarding age, the areas of sebaceous units at 900 μm were diminished and the depth of maximum area was shallower in elderly female subjects compared to young female subjects. Hence, sebaceous glands are considered to shrink with age. Conclusion Differences in facial sebaceous unit morphology between genders as well as by age groups could be observed using high‐frequency ultrasound microscopy.

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Marked Reduction of the Number and Individual Volume of Sebaceous Glands in Psoriatic Lesions

Cited by 14 publications

References 24 publications

Sebaceous Gland Atrophy in Psoriasis: An Explanation for Psoriatic Alopecia?

Sebaceous Gland Atrophy in Psoriasis: An Explanation for Psoriatic Alopecia?

Neuroendocrinology and neurobiology of sebaceous glands

Gender‐ and age‐related differences in facial sebaceous glands in Asian skin, as observed by non‐invasive analysis using three‐dimensional ultrasound microscopy

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