Interplay among oxidants, antioxidants, and cytokines in skin disorders: present status and future considerations

Biomed Pharmacother. 2007 Aug;61(7):412-22. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2007.05.010. Epub 2007 Jun 18.

Abstract

The pathogenicity of skin disorders involves a complexity of physiological, immunological, environmental, and genetic phenomena. This review focuses on cross-talks between two main agents, the oxidants and cytokines network, which have recently been found to play important roles in the pathophysiology of a large variety of skin disorders, including carcinogenesis, UVB irradiation damages, inflammatory processes, and a series of diseases such as, psoriasis, pyoderma gangrenosum, atopic dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis, and bacterial skin infections. In particular the review discusses the question how an interplay between oxidants and cytokines might be beneficial in wound-healing and in therapeutic strategies in clinical settings. These involve topical applications and oral administration of antioxidant and inflammatory-cytokines-neutralizing antibodies. Monitoring cytokine expression in skin disorders (inflammatory versus anti-inflammatory, or Th1 versus Th2 types of cytokines) will definitely help to evaluate the severity of injury, its type, and its role in therapy. Furthermore, it is expected that future studies should explore the possible roles of the synergistic interactions between antioxidants and cytokines and their impact on the Th1/Th2 cytokine networks balances.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / pharmacology
  • Antibodies / therapeutic use
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use*
  • Cytokines / drug effects
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Oxidants / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Skin Diseases / drug therapy
  • Skin Diseases / etiology
  • Skin Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Th1 Cells / drug effects
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / drug effects
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Wound Healing / drug effects

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Antioxidants
  • Cytokines
  • Oxidants
  • Reactive Oxygen Species