الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic pruritic inflammatory dermatosis with a high prevalence in industrialized countries. AD frequency varies between 7% to 30% of children and 1% to 10% of adults entailing an important decline of their quality of life. cAMP is a second messenger that controls many key cellular functions. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are a superfamily of enzymes catalyzing the hydrolysis of 3{u2019}, 5{u2019} cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and 3{u2019},5{u2019}-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) to their inactive 5{u2019}-AMP and 5{u2019}-GMP The only way to inactivate cAMP is to degrade it through the action of cAMP phosphodiesterases (PDEs). PDEs are thus poised to play a key regulatory role. PDE4, cAMP specific phosphodiesterases, appears to have specific functions with selective inhibitors serving as potent anti-inflammatory agents. Objectives: the aim of this work is to study phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) gene expression in AD before and after treatment with topical mometasone cream, in comparison to controls in order to assess its role in the pathogenesis of AD, which will aid in the management protocol. Patients and methods: The study included 20 patients with acute and subacute AD, and 10 age and sex matched healthy individuals serving as control group. Skin biopsies before and after treatment were obtained from all participants for evaluation of PDE4 level. |