The pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis (AD) is complex, multifactorial, and not fully understood. Genes encoding collagens, the most abundant proteins in the extracellular matrix (ECM), may play a potential role in the pathogenesis of AD. Our study aimed to estimate the associations between Col3A1/rs1800255, Col6A5 /29rs12488457, and Col8A1/rs13081855 polymorphisms and the occurrence, course, and features of AD in the Polish population. Blood samples were collected from 157 patients with AD and 111 healthy volunteers. The genotype distribution of the investigated collagens genes did not differ significantly between the AD and control subjects (p > 0.05). The AA genotype of Col3A1/rs1800255 was significantly associated with the occurrence of mild SCORAD (OR = 0.16; 95% Cl: 0.03-0.78; p = 0.02) and mild pruritus (OR = 18.5; 95% Cl: 3.48-98.40; p = 0.0006), while the GG genotype was significantly associated with severe SCORAD (OR = 6.6; 95% Cl: 1.23-32.35; p = 0.03). Regarding Col6A5/29rs12488457 polymorphism, the average SCORAD score was significantly lower in the group of patients with genotype AA than in patients with the AC genotype (39.8 vs. 53.4; p = 0.04). Nevertheless, both average SCORAD scores were high, and represent the moderate and severe grades of the diseases, respectively. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of COL3A1/ rs1800255 and Col6A5/29rs12488457 seem to be associated with AD courses and symptoms, suggesting new disease biomarkers. The modulation of collagens, the major component of the ECM, may serve as a therapeutic target of AD in the future.
Keywords: atopic dermatitis; single nucleotide polymorphisms; type III collagen; type VI collagen.