The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of phytosphingosine (PS) on mite antigen-induced terminal differentiation abnormalities in HaCaT cells. For this purpose, a PS-like substance was isolated from Asterina pectinifera (starfish PS) using high-performance liquid chromatography and was partially characterized through 1H NMR analysis. The level of involucrin expression in HaCaT cell was measured by immunoblotting assay. Our results showed that PS treatments remarkably up-regulated the involucrin expression, which is known as a terminal differentiation marker in the epidermal mite antigen-treated HaCaT cells. This indicates that starfish PS could regulate mite antigen-induced terminal differentiation fluctuation in the epidermis. Taken together, the results suggest that starfish PS might be a useful therapeutic agent for atopic dermatitis.
GuptaAK, FisherGJ, ElderJT, NickoloffBJ, VoorheesJJ. (1988) Sphingosine inhibits phorbol ester-induced inflammation, ornithine decarboxylase activity, and activation of protein kinase C in mouse skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 91, 486–491.
2.
WakitaH, TokuraY, YagiH, NishimuraK, FurukawaF, TakigawaM. (1994) Keratinocyte differentiation is induced by cell-permeant ceramides and its proliferation is promoted by sphingosine. Archives of Dermatological Research, 286, 350–354.
3.
GeilenCWT, OrfanosC. (1997) Ceramide signaling: regulatory role in cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in human epidermis. Archives of Dermatological Research, 289, 559–566.
4.
Di NaldoA, BenassiL, MagnoniC, CossarizzaA, SeidenariS, GiannettiA. (2000) Ceramide 2 (N-acetyl sphingosine) is associated with reduction in Bcl-2 protein levels by Western blotting and with apoptosis in cultured human keratinocytes. British Journal of Dermatology, 143, 491–497.
5.
EliasPM. (2005) Stratum corneum defensive functions: an integrated view. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 125, 183–200.
6.
NorihiroF, HiroakiT, KazuhiroT, MasayukiM, ShinjiM, HachiroO, NorikoF, HiroshiU, MasutakaF, JunH. (2007) Thymus and activation regulated chemokines in children with atopic dermatitis. European Journal of Dermatology, 17, 397–404.
7.
FurukawaH, NakamuraK, ZhengX, TojoM, OyamaN, AkibaH. (2004) Enhanced TARC production by dust-mite allergens and its modulation by immunosuppressive drugs in PBMCs from patients with atopic dermatitis. Journal of Dermatological Science, 35, 35–42.
8.
SteinhoffM, NeisiusU, IkomaA, FartaschM, HeyerG, SkovPS, LugerTA, SchmelzM. (2003) Proteinase-activated receptor 2 mediates itch: a novel pathway for pruritus in human skin. Journal of Neuroscience, 23, 6176–6180.
9.
LeeBS, ShimSM, HeoJH, PaeHO, SeoBY, HanSY, SohnDH, JangSI, ChungHT. (2007) Wogonin suppresses TARC expression induced by mite antigen via heme oxygenase 1 in human keratinocytes: Suppressive effect of wogonin on mite antigen-induced TARC expression. Journal of Dermatological Science, 46, 31–40.
10.
MarekovLN, SteinertPM. (1998) Ceramides are bound to structural proteins of the human foreskin epidermal cornified cell envelope. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 273, 17763–17770.
11.
MacheleidtO, KaiserHW, SandhoffK. (2002) Deficiency of epidermal protein-bound omega-hydroxyceramides in atopic dermatitis. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 119, 166–173.
