Premium
Seasonal changes in epidermal ceramides are linked to impaired barrier function in acne patients
Author(s) -
Pappas Apostolos,
Kendall Alexandra C.,
Brownbridge Luke C.,
Batchvarova Nikoleta,
Nicolaou Anna
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1111/exd.13499
Subject(s) - transepidermal water loss , ceramide , stratum corneum , acne , sphingolipid , chemistry , dermatology , barrier function , skin aging , endocrinology , medicine , biochemistry , biology , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , apoptosis
Acne skin demonstrates increased transepidermal water loss ( TEWL ) compared with healthy skin, which may be due, in part, to altered ceramide (CER) levels. We analysed ceramides in the stratum corneum of healthy and acne skin, and studied seasonal variation over the course of a year. Using ultraperformance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionisation and tandem mass spectrometry ( UPLC / ESI ‐ MS / MS ), we identified 283 ceramides. Acne‐affected skin demonstrated overall lower levels of ceramides, with notable reductions in CER [ NH ] and CER [ AH ] ceramides, as well as the acylceramides CER [ EOS ] and CER [ EOH ]; these differences were more apparent in the winter months. Lower ceramide levels reflected an increase in TEWL in acne, compared with healthy skin, which partly resolves in the summer. Individual ceramide species with 18‐carbon 6‐hydroxysphingosine (H) bases (including CER [N(24)H(18)], CER [N(26)H(18)], CER [A(24)H(18)], CER [A(26)H(18)]) were significantly reduced in acne skin, suggesting that CER [ NH ] and CER [ AH ] species may be particularly important in a healthy skin barrier.