As in Atopic Dermatitis, Nonlesional Skin in Allergic Contact Dermatitis Displays Abnormalities in Barrier Function and Ceramide Content  Donghye Kim, Noo Ri Lee, Sang-Yeon Park, Myungsoo Jun, Kyohoon Lee, Sunki Kim, Chang Seo Park, Kwang-Hyeon Liu, Eung Ho Choi  Journal of Investigative Dermatology  Volume 137, Issue 3, Pages 748-750 (March 2017) DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.10.034 Copyright © 2016 The Authors Terms and Conditions

Figure 1 In the corneocytes of the nonlesional skin, PCA significantly decreased only in AD patients, whereas total ceramides significantly decreased in both ACD and AD patients. Quantity of (a) PCA and (b) total SC lipid composition in the corneocytes of the nonlesional skin of ACD or AD patients. (a) Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of PCA extracted from the SC of the shin in patients with ACD (male:female = 3:22, age range = 12–68 years, mean age = 35.3 years) or AD (male:female = 12:13, age range = 4–40 years, mean age = 16.9 years) and healthy controls (NL) (male:female = 10:24, age range = 20–54 years, mean age = 33.5 years). The quantity of PCA in AD patients decreased significantly compared with the healthy controls (NL), but not in ACD patients. (b) High-performance thin-layer chromatography analysis for total lipid composition from the SC of the inner forearm in patients with ACD or AD and healthy controls (NL). ACD or AD patients showed significantly decreased CER compared with the healthy controls (NL). ∗P < 0.05, NL versus ACD; #P < 0.05, NL versus AD. Results are mean ± standard error of the mean. ACD, allergic contact dermatitis; AD, atopic dermatitis; CER, ceramides; CHOL, cholesterol; CHOL-SO4, cholesterol sulfate; FFA, free fatty acids; NL, healthy control subjects; PCA, pyrrolidone carboxylic acid; SC, stratum corneum; TAG, triacylglycerol. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2017 137, 748-750DOI: (10.1016/j.jid.2016.10.034) Copyright © 2016 The Authors Terms and Conditions

Figure 2 In the SC lipids of nonlesional skin, overall ceramide chain length significantly decreased in ACD patients, whereas long-chain ceramides tended to decrease and short-chain ceramides tended to increase in AD patients. Comparison of each type of ceramide in the SC lipids (a) between the nonlesional skins of ACD patients and the healthy control subjects and (b) between the nonlesional skins of AD patients and healthy control subjects. Ceramide analysis using the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry system was performed with SC samples. The ceramide subspecies were N-type (CER [NH], CER [NP], CER [NS]) and A-type (CER [AH], CER [AP], CER [AS]). (a) The results of the ACD patients (15 female, range = 21–40 years) were compared with healthy control subjects (20 female, range = 21–40 years) matched by sex and age. In ACD patients, the N/A-type ceramides were significantly decreased in the overall CER chain length. Both the level of long-chain CERs (≥42 carbon atoms) and the level of short-chain CERs (<42 carbon atoms) showed a significant decrease in ACD patients compared with healthy control subjects. (b) The results of the AD patients (12 male, range = 4–40 years) compared with healthy control subjects (5 male, range = 20–28 years) were matched by sex and age. In the AD patients, the levels of long-chain CERs (>42 carbon atoms) tended to decrease and the level of short-chain CERs (<42 carbon atoms) tended to increase. ∗P < 0.05, NL vs. ACD; #P < 0.05, NL vs. AD. Statistical analysis was performed using unpaired Student t test. ACD, allergic contact dermatitis; AD, atopic dermatitis; CER, ceramides; NL, healthy control subjects; SC, stratum corneum. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2017 137, 748-750DOI: (10.1016/j.jid.2016.10.034) Copyright © 2016 The Authors Terms and Conditions