Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a pruritic, relapsing and chronic inflammatory skin condition with variable clinical features. AD pathogenesis research has targeted immune and skin barrier abnormalities contributing to the overall phenotype. Substantial evi...
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a pruritic, relapsing and chronic inflammatory skin condition with variable clinical features. AD pathogenesis research has targeted immune and skin barrier abnormalities contributing to the overall phenotype. Substantial evidence demonstrates that defect in the skin barrier and cutaneous allergen sensitization are early crucial pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. House dust mites (HDM) is one of common allergens to promote the development of atopic dermatitis. The major mite allergenic components protease allergens (group 1, 3) and non-protease allergens (group 2, 7) derived from Dermatophagoides peronyssinus (DP) and Dermatophagoides farinae (DF) are reported to sensitizing serum-specific IgE. Since all allergens are present in the mite crude extracts, most mite allergens are identified to bind IgE. The study is identified the first known group 38 allergen (Der p 38) base on TLR4 binding allergens from DP crude extract. TLR4 medicated protein in DP whole extract regulated with the inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis in previous study. Der p 38 identified from TLR4 binding mite allergen, published at WHO/IUIS allergen classification with proven an allergenicity sensitizing specific IgE in AD patients. We aimed to identify Der p 38 protein and demonstrate the pathogenetic mechanism in human keratinocytes and AD-like skin lesion mouse model with recombinant
Der p 38. Der p 38 trigger to skin barrier impairment such as filaggrin expression suppression via Toll-like receptor (TLR4) mediated JNK and NKkB pathway. In other pathway, Der p 38 released pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1 via TLR4-mediated Akt/ERK/p38MAPK/JNK and NK-kB pathway and elucidated chronic skin inflammation in human keratinocytes. In mice, Der p 38 induce AD-like skin lesions in wild type
with high specific IgE reactivity and skin barrier protein impairments.
However, TLR4 KO mice groups were not significant to skin lesions following cutaneous Der p 38 exposure rather than wild type groups. In mouse skin, Der p 38 trigger the filaggrin expression and the phosphorylation
of JNK pathway associated with TLR4.
Our studies indicate that Der p 38 binding to TLR4 is a novel mite allergen induced to AD and exhibit the AD pathogenetic mechanism with TLR4-mediated JNK signal pathway.