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New Technologies and Approaches for Skin Disease Treatment

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2023) | Viewed by 9796

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Dr. Cinzia Pagano

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Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via del Liceo, 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: pharmaceutical technology; drug delivery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. César Viseras

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Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Interests: medicinal products; medical devices; pharmaceutical technology; drug delivery
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Dr. Luana Perioli

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Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: pharmaceutical technology; drud delivery systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Skin problems (infections, inflammation, lesions, etc.) can be treated more efficiently by treatments performed directly in the site of interest without involving healthy tissues. Moreover, the therapy should be more efficacious if properly customized according to patient characteristics (age, gender, etc.) and needs. The aim of this Special Issue is to describe innovative approaches for efficacious treatment of skin diseases, including new molecules, new delivery systems and new formulations. Moreover, papers dealing with new understanding of physiological mechanisms involved in the control of inflammation mechanisms, infection and skin repair will be welcome.

Dr. Cinzia Pagano
Prof. Dr. César Viseras
Dr. Luana Perioli
Guest Editors

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

skin disease treatment
biochemistry of skin repair and regeneration
inflammation
infection
formulation

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3196 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anti-Atopic Dermatitis Effect of TPS240, a Novel Therapeutic Peptide, via Suppression of NF-κB and STAT3 Activation

by Dongwoo Lee, Jeon Hwang-Bo, Karpagam Veerappan, Hyunhye Moon, Junhyung Park and Hoyong Chung

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(21), 15814; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242115814 - 31 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1019

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a relapsing skin disease with persistent inflammation as a causal factor for symptoms and disease progression. Current therapies provide only temporary relief and require long-term usage accompanied by side effects due to persistent relapses. A short peptide, TPS240, has been tested for its potential to subside AD. In this study, we confirmed the anti-atopic effect of TPS240 in vivo and in vitro using a DNCB-induced AD mouse model and TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells. In the AD mouse model, topical treatment with TPS240 diminished AD-like skin lesions and symptoms such as epidermal thickening and mast cell infiltration induced by DNCB, similar to the existing treatment, dexamethasone (Dex). Furthermore, skin atrophy, weight loss, and abnormal organ weight changes observed in the Dex-treated group were not detected in the TPS240-treated group. In TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells, TPS240 reduced the expression of the inflammatory chemokines CCL17 and CCL22 and the pruritic cytokines TSLP and IL-31 by inhibiting NF-κB and STAT3 activation. These results suggest that TPS240 has an anti-atopic effect through immunomodulation of AD-specific cytokines and chemokines and can be used as a candidate drug for the prevention and treatment of AD that can solve the safety problems of existing treatments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Approaches for Skin Disease Treatment)

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11 pages, 5732 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hemostatic Collagen Sponge with High Porosity Promotes the Proliferation and Adhesion of Fibroblasts and Osteoblasts

by Emira D’Amico, Tania Vanessa Pierfelice, Stefania Lepore, Giovanna Iezzi, Camillo D’Arcangelo, Adriano Piattelli, Ugo Covani and Morena Petrini

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(9), 7749; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24097749 - 24 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1472

Abstract

The use of biomaterial for tissue repair involves the interaction between materials and cells, and the coagulum formation represents the first step of tissue healing. This process is particularly critical in the oral cavity, where the wounds are immediately subjected to the masticatory mechanical stress, saliva invasion, and bacterial attack. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the structural features and the biological activities of a hemostatic collagen sponge on human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) and human oral osteoblasts (HOBs). The microstructure of the collagen sponge was characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and histological analysis. The porosity was also calculated. To investigate biological activities, HGFs and HOBs were cultured on the collagen sponges, and their adhesion was observed at SEM on the third day, while cell viability was investigated at the third and seventh days by Tetrazolium (MTT) assay. For osteoblasts seeded on collagen sponge the mineralization ability was also evaluated by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay at the seventh day, and by Alizarin red staining on the 14th. Furthermore, the gene expression of ALP and osteocalcin (OCN) was investigated after 3, 7 and 14 days. SEM images of the sponge without cells showed a highly porous 3D structure, confirmed by the measurement of porosity that was more than 90%. The samples cultured were characterized by cells uniformly distributed and adhered to the sponge surface. Proliferation ended up being promoted, as well as the mineralization ability of the osteoblasts, mainly at the mature stage. In conclusion, this collagen sponge could have a potential use for tissue healing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Approaches for Skin Disease Treatment)

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14 pages, 5333 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate Suppresses Cutibacterium acnes-Induced Skin Inflammation

by Jin Hak Shin, Seon Sook Kim and Su Ryeon Seo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4444; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054444 - 23 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1749

Abstract

Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes), a Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium, proliferates in hair follicles and pores and causes inflammation in the skin of young people. The rapid growth of C. acnes triggers macrophages to secrete proinflammatory cytokines. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) is a thiol compound that exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Although the anti-inflammatory function of PDTC in several inflammatory disorders has been reported, the effect of PDTC on C. acnes-induced skin inflammation remains unexplored. In the present study, we examined the effect of PDTC on C. acnes-induced inflammatory responses and determined the mechanism by using in vitro and in vivo experimental models. We found that PDTC significantly inhibited the expression of C. acnes-induced proinflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and NOD-like receptor (NLR) pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), in mouse-bone-marrow-derived macrophage (BMDM) cells. PDTC suppressed C. acnes-induced activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), which is the major transcription factor for proinflammatory cytokine expression. In addition, we found that PDTC inhibited caspase-1 activation and IL-1β secretion through suppressing NLRP3 and activated the melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome but not the NLR CARD-containing 4 (NLRC4) inflammasome. Moreover, we found that PDTC improved C. acnes-induced inflammation by attenuating C. acnes-induced IL-1β secretion in a mouse acne model. Therefore, our results suggest that PDTC has potential therapeutic value for the amelioration of C. acnes-induced skin inflammation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Approaches for Skin Disease Treatment)

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Review

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25 pages, 363 KiB

Open AccessReview

Extracorporeal Photopheresis in Dermatological Diseases

by Hanna Terhaar, Mohammad Saleem and Nabiha Yusuf

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(5), 3011; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25053011 - 05 Mar 2024

Viewed by 605

Abstract

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is an apheresis procedure that is conventionally used as a first-line treatment for cutaneous and leukemic subtypes of T-cell lymphoma, such as Sezary’s syndrome and mycosis fungoides. Over the past three decades, its immunotherapeutic properties have been tested on a variety of autoimmune conditions, including many dermatologic diseases. There is ample evidence of ECP’s ability to modify leukocytes and alter cytokine production for certain dermatologic diseases that have been refractory to first-line treatments, such as atopic dermatitis. However, the evidence on the efficacy of ECP for the treatment of these dermatologic diseases is unclear and/or lacks sufficient evidence. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the utilization and clinical efficacy of ECP in the treatment of several [autoimmune] dermatologic diseases and discuss its applications, guidelines, recommendations, and future implementation for dermatologic diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Approaches for Skin Disease Treatment)

20 pages, 1672 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recreating Human Skin In Vitro: Should the Microbiota Be Taken into Account?

by Andrea Galvan, Carlo Pellicciari and Laura Calderan

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 1165; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25021165 - 18 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1212

Abstract

Skin plays crucial roles in the human body: besides protecting the organism from external threats, it acts as a thermal regulator, is responsible for the sense of touch, hosts microbial communities (the skin microbiota) involved in preventing the invasion of foreign pathogens, contains immunocompetent cells that maintain a healthy immunogenic/tolerogenic balance, and is a suitable route for drug administration. In the skin, four defense levels can be identified: besides the physical, chemical, and immune barriers that are inherent to the tissue, the skin microbiota (i.e., the numerous microorganisms living on the skin surface) provides an additional barrier. Studying the skin barrier function or the effects of drugs or cosmetic agents on human skin is a difficult task since snapshot evidence can only be obtained using bioptic samples where dynamic processes cannot properly be followed. To overcome these limitations, many different in vitro models of human skin have been developed that are characterized by diverse levels of complexity in terms of chemical, structural, and cellular composition. The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different human skin models so far available and to underline how the insertion of a proper microbiota would positively impact an in vitro human skin model in an attempt to better mimic conditions in vivo. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Approaches for Skin Disease Treatment)

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16 pages, 1099 KiB

Open AccessReview

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification of DNA (LAMP) as an Alternative Method for Determining Bacteria in Wound Infections

by Monika Gieroń, Paulina Żarnowiec, Katarzyna Zegadło, Dawid Gmiter, Grzegorz Czerwonka, Wiesław Kaca and Beata Kręcisz

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(1), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25010411 - 28 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1084

Abstract

The increasing number of patients with chronic wounds requires the development of quick and accurate diagnostics methods. One of the key and challenging aspects of treating ulcers is to control wound infection. Early detection of infection is essential for the application of suitable treatment methods, such as systemic antibiotics or other antimicrobial agents. Clinically, the most frequently used method for detecting microorganisms in wounds is through a swab and culture on appropriate media. This test has major limitations, such as the long bacterial growth time and the selectivity of bacterial growth. This article presents an overview of molecular methods for detecting bacteria in wounds, including real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), genotyping, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). We focus on the LAMP method, which has not yet been widely used to detect bacteria in wounds, but it is an interesting alternative to conventional detection methods. LAMP does not require additional complicated equipment and provides the fastest detection time for microorganisms (approx. 30 min reaction). It also allows the use of many pairs of primers in one reaction and determination of up to 15 organisms in one sample. Isothermal amplification of DNA is currently the easiest and most economical method for microbial detection in wound infection. Direct visualization of the reaction with dyes, along with omitting DNA isolation, has increased the potential use of this method. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Approaches for Skin Disease Treatment)

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21 pages, 1094 KiB

Open AccessReview

Decoding the Human Epidermal Complexity at Single-Cell Resolution

by Maria Pia Polito, Grazia Marini, Michele Palamenghi and Elena Enzo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(10), 8544; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24108544 - 10 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1931

Abstract

The epidermis is one of the largest tissues in the human body, serving as a protective barrier. The basal layer of the epidermis, which consists of epithelial stem cells and transient amplifying progenitors, represents its proliferative compartment. As keratinocytes migrate from the basal layer to the skin surface, they exit the cell cycle and initiate terminal differentiation, ultimately generating the suprabasal epidermal layers. A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms and pathways driving keratinocytes’ organization and regeneration is essential for successful therapeutic approaches. Single-cell techniques are valuable tools for studying molecular heterogeneity. The high-resolution characterization obtained with these technologies has identified disease-specific drivers and new therapeutic targets, further promoting the advancement of personalized therapies. This review summarizes the latest findings on the transcriptomic and epigenetic profiling of human epidermal cells, analyzed from human biopsy or after in vitro cultivation, focusing on physiological, wound healing, and inflammatory skin conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technologies and Approaches for Skin Disease Treatment)

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