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Dermal Research: From Molecular Mechanisms to Pathology 2.0

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 January 2024) | Viewed by 5147

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Bum-Ho Bin

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Guest Editor

Department of Applied Biotechnology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
Interests: aging; dermatology; melanogeneis; skin diseases; skin development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The growing awareness of the importance of keeping skin healthy has led to a boost in the cosmeceutical industry over recent years. In addition to genetic factors, decreased air quality and higher psychological stress in modern society have increased the incidence of skin pathologies. Due to the rise in market demand, the industry is constantly seeking new knowledge to provide efficient therapeutical strategies.

Despite being the largest organ of the human body, the pathways that control skin homeostasis are still not understood in depth. Many skin pathologies such as atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, psoriasis, eczema, and ichthyosis vulgaris, among others, still do not have a cure. Additionally, skin cancer, the most common form of cancer, still relies on outdated treatment methods that have several side effects. In addition, skin tissue engineering by stem cell transplant for rejuvenation or wound healing has recently become an attractive topic, but its implementation is still in the primary stages. As a result, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the architecture, differentiation, and regeneration of the skin is still necessary to develop novel treatments.

In this Special Issue, we aim to reveal the latest findings in dermal research to further contribute to this expanding field. We welcome all kinds of relevant topics for this subject in the forms of original research, reviews, or commentaries.

Prof. Dr. Bum-Ho Bin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

dermatology
molecular pathways
skin pathologies
skin cancer
immune response
pigmentation disorders
tissue engineering
anti-aging treatments
cosmetics

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 4441 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phototoxic Reactions Inducted by Hydrochlorothiazide and Furosemide in Normal Skin Cells—In Vitro Studies on Melanocytes and Fibroblasts

by Marta Karkoszka, Jakub Rok, Zuzanna Rzepka, Klaudia Banach, Justyna Kowalska and Dorota Wrześniok

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(3), 1432; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25031432 - 24 Jan 2024

Viewed by 774

Abstract

Hypertension is known to be a multifactorial disease associated with abnormalities in neuroendocrine, metabolic, and hemodynamic systems. Poorly controlled hypertension causes more than one in eight premature deaths worldwide. Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) and furosemide (FUR), being first-line drugs in the treatment of hypertension, are among others the most frequently prescribed drugs in the world. Currently, many pharmacoepidemiological data associate the use of these diuretics with an increased risk of adverse phototoxic reactions that may induce the development of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. In this study, the cytotoxic and phototoxic potential of HCT and FUR against skin cells varied by melanin pigment content was assessed for the first time. The results showed that both drugs reduced the number of metabolically active normal skin cells in a dose-dependent manner. UVA irradiation significantly increased the cytotoxicity of HCT towards fibroblasts by approximately 40% and melanocytes by almost 20% compared to unirradiated cells. In the case of skin cells exposed to FUR and UVA radiation, an increase in cytotoxicity by approximately 30% for fibroblasts and 10% for melanocytes was observed. Simultaneous exposure of melanocytes and fibroblasts to HCT or FUR and UVAR caused a decrease in cell viability, and number, which was confirmed by microscopic assessment of morphology. The phototoxic effect of HCT and FUR was associated with the disturbance of redox homeostasis confirming the oxidative stress as a mechanism of phototoxic reaction. UVA-irradiated drugs increased the generation of ROS by 10–150%, and oxidized intracellular thiols. A reduction in mitochondrial potential of almost 80% in melanocytes exposed to HCT and UVAR and 60% in fibroblasts was found due to oxidative stress occurrence. In addition, HCT and FUR have been shown to disrupt the cell cycle of normal skin cells. Finally, it can be concluded that HCT is the drug with a stronger phototoxic effect, and fibroblasts turn out to be more sensitive cells to the phototoxic effect of tested drugs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dermal Research: From Molecular Mechanisms to Pathology 2.0)

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12 pages, 884 KiB

Open AccessArticle

mRNA Levels of Aromatase, 5α-Reductase Isozymes, and Prostate Cancer-Related Genes in Plucked Hair from Young Men with Androgenic Alopecia

by Pilar Sánchez, Cristina Serrano Falcón, Sergio Martínez Rodríguez, Jesús M. Torres, Salvio Serrano and Esperanza Ortega

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(24), 17461; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242417461 - 14 Dec 2023

Viewed by 916

Abstract

Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is the most prevalent type of progressive hair loss and has psychological repercussions. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of current pharmacological treatments remains limited, in part because the molecular basis of the disease has not been fully elucidated. Our group previously highlighted the important roles of aromatase and 5α-reductase (5α-R) in alopecia in young women with female pattern hair loss. Additionally, an association has been proposed between AGA and prostate cancer (PCa), suggesting that genes implicated in PCa would also be involved in AGA. A low-invasive, sensitive, and precise method was used to determine mRNA levels of aromatase, 5α-R isozymes, and 84 PCa-related genes in samples of plucked hair from young men with AGA and controls. Samples were obtained with a trichogram from the vertex scalp, and mRNA levels were quantified using real-time RT-PCR. The men with AGA had significantly higher 5α-R2 mRNA levels in comparison to controls; interestingly, some of them also showed markedly elevated mRNA levels of 5α-R1 or 5α-R3 or of both, which may explain the varied response to 5α-R inhibitor treatments. The men with AGA also showed significant changes versus controls in 6 out of the 84 genes implicated in PCa. This study contributes greater knowledge of the molecular bases of AGA, facilitating early selection of the most appropriate pharmacological therapy and opening the way to novel treatments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dermal Research: From Molecular Mechanisms to Pathology 2.0)

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Review

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25 pages, 1139 KiB

Open AccessReview

Environmental Air Pollutants Affecting Skin Functions with Systemic Implications

by Georgeta Bocheva, Radomir M. Slominski and Andrzej T. Slominski

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 10502; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241310502 - 22 Jun 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3002

Abstract

The increase in air pollution worldwide represents an environmental risk factor that has global implications for the health of humans worldwide. The skin of billions of people is exposed to a mixture of harmful air pollutants, which can affect its physiology and are responsible for cutaneous damage. Some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are photoreactive and could be activated by ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Therefore, such UVR exposure would enhance their deleterious effects on the skin. Air pollution also affects vitamin D synthesis by reducing UVB radiation, which is essential for the production of vitamin D₃, tachysterol, and lumisterol derivatives. Ambient air pollutants, photopollution, blue-light pollution, and cigarette smoke compromise cutaneous structural integrity, can interact with human skin microbiota, and trigger or exacerbate a range of skin diseases through various mechanisms. Generally, air pollution elicits an oxidative stress response on the skin that can activate the inflammatory responses. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) can act as a sensor for small molecules such as air pollutants and plays a crucial role in responses to (photo)pollution. On the other hand, targeting AhR/Nrf2 is emerging as a novel treatment option for air pollutants that induce or exacerbate inflammatory skin diseases. Therefore, AhR with downstream regulatory pathways would represent a crucial signaling system regulating the skin phenotype in a Yin and Yang fashion defined by the chemical nature of the activating factor and the cellular and tissue context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dermal Research: From Molecular Mechanisms to Pathology 2.0)

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