Project description:<p>The NIH Intramural Skin Microbiome Consortium (NISMC) is a collaboration of investigators with primary expertise in genomics, bioinformatics, large-scale DNA sequencing, dermatology, immunology, allergy, infectious disease, and clinical microbiology. Atopic dermatitis (AD, "eczema") is a chronic relapsing skin disorder that affects ~15% of U.S. children and is associated with $1 billion of medical costs annually. AD is characterized by dry, itchy skin, infiltrated with immune cells. Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is ten-fold more common in AD patients and is associated with disease flares. We hypothesize that, in addition to S. aureus, AD may also be associated with additional novel microbes and/or selective shifts of commensal microbes that are relevant to disease progression. The NISMC seeks to define the microbiota that resides in and on the skin and nares of three patient groups, all of whom have eczematous lesions and are currently seen at the NIH Clinical Center: (1) AD patients; (2) Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) patients; and (3) Hyper IgE syndrome (HIES) patients. Examination of the microbiome of patients with WAS or HIES syndromes, both rare immunodeficiencies, will advance our understanding of how an individual's immune system shapes their cutaneous microbial community. We are performing a prospective longitudinal study that follows these groups of patient thorough the cycles of eczema flares, ascertaining clinical data and samples at each stage.</p>
Project description:To gain a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of AD, we conducted a large-scale transcriptomic study of AD with deeply-sequenced RNA-seq samples using long (125b) paired-end reads. By integrating deep sequencing-based skin transcriptome profiling with systems biology analysis, we are able to provide deep characterization for the expression signatures for AD.
Project description:Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is the most common inflammatory skin disease and characterized by a deficient epidermal barrier and cutaneous inflammation. Genetic studies suggest a key role of keratinocytes in AD pathogenesis, but the alterations in the proteome that occur in the entire epidermis have not been defined. Employing a pressure-cycling technology-data-independent acquisition (PCT-DIA) approach, we performed quantitative proteomics of epidermis from healthy volunteers and lesional and non-lesional skin of AD patients. Results were validated by targeted proteomics using parallel reaction monitoring mass spectrometry or by immunofluorescence staining. The identified proteins reflect the strong inflammation in lesional skin and the defect in keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal stratification. Most importantly, they reveal impaired activation of the NRF2-antioxidant pathway and reduced abundance of mitochondrial proteins involved in key metabolic pathways in the epidermis. These results provide insight into the molecular alterations in the epidermis of AD patients and identify novel targets for pharmaceutical intervention.
Project description:<p>The NIH Intramural Skin Microbiome Consortium (NISMC) is a collaboration of investigators with primary expertise in genomics, bioinformatics, large-scale DNA sequencing, dermatology, immunology, allergy, infectious disease, and clinical microbiology. Atopic dermatitis (AD, "eczema") is a chronic relapsing skin disorder that affects ~15% of U.S. children and is associated with $1 billion of medical costs annually. AD is characterized by dry, itchy skin, infiltrated with immune cells. Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is ten-fold more common in AD patients and is associated with disease flares. We hypothesize that, in addition to S. aureus, AD may also be associated with additional novel microbes and/or selective shifts of commensal microbes that are relevant to disease progression. The NISMC seeks to define the microbiota that resides in and on the skin and nares of three patient groups, all of whom have eczematous lesions and are currently seen at the NIH Clinical Center: (1) AD patients; (2) Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) patients; and (3) Hyper IgE syndrome (HIES) syndrome patients. Examination of the microbiome of patients with WAS or HIES syndromes, both rare immunodeficiencies, will advance our understanding of how an individual's immune system shapes their cutaneous microbial community. We are performing a prospective longitudinal study that follows these groups of patient thorough the cycles of eczema flares, ascertaining clinical data and samples at each stage.</p>
Project description:Background: Skin biopsies represent a gold standard in skin immunology and pathology but can cause pain and induce scarring. Non-invasive techniques will facilitate study recruitment of e.g. patients with pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD), hand eczema or facial dermatitis. Objective: By RNA sequencing, we examined whether the stratum corneum transcriptome in AD skin can be assessed by tape stripping, as compared to the epidermal transcriptome of AD in skin biopsies. To make the procedure clinically relevant tape strips were stored and shipped at room temperature for up to 3 days. Methods: Nine adult Caucasian AD patients and three healthy volunteers were included. Tape samples were collected from non-lesional and lesional skin. Biopsies were collected from lesional skin and were split into epidermis and dermis. Total RNA was extracted, and shotgun sequencing was performed. Results: Shotgun sequencing could be performed on skin cells obtained from two consecutive tape strips which had been stored and shipped at room temperature for up to three days. The most prominent differences between the tape strip and biopsy derived transcriptome were due to structural genes, while established molecular markers of AD, including CCL17, CCL22, IL17A and S100A7-S100A9, were also identified in tape strip samples. Furthermore, the tape strip derived transcriptome showed promise in also analysing the skin microbiome. Conclusion: Our study shows that the stratum corneum (SC) transcriptome of AD can be assessed by tape stripping the skin, supporting that this method may be central in future skin biomarker research.
Project description:Canine atopic dermatitis (AD) is clinically similar to human AD, implicating it as a useful model of human eosinophilic allergic disease. To identify cutaneous gene transcription changes in relatively early inflammation of canine AD, microarrays were used to monitor transcription in normal skin (n=13) and in acute lesional AD (ALAD) and nearby visibly nonlesional AD (NLAD) skin (n=13) from dogs. Scanning the putative abnormally-transcribed genes, several potentially relevant genes, some abnormally transcribed in both NLAD and ALAD (e.g. IL6, NFAM1, MSRA, and SYK), were observed. Comparison for abnormally-transcribed genes common to two related human diseases, human AD and asthmatic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (aCRSwNP), further identified genes or gene sets likely relevant to eosinophilic allergic inflammation. These included 1) genes associated with alternatively-activated monocyte-derived cells, including members of the monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP) gene cluster, 2) members of the IL1 family gene cluster, 3) eosinophil-associated seven transmembrane receptor EMR1 and EMR3 genes, 4) interferon-inducible genes, and 5) keratin genes associated with hair and nail formation. Overall, numerous abnormally-transcribed genes were observed only in canine AD; however, many others are common to related human eosinophilic allergic diseases and represent therapeutic targets testable in dogs with AD. Total RNA from skin biopsy specimens from 13 Healthy (i.e. Normal) dogs were compared to total RNA from acute lesional skin biopsy specimens (i.e. ALAD) and nearby visibly nonlesional skin biopsy specimens (i.e. NLAD) from 13 dogs with atopic dermatitis.
Project description:Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease with underlying defects in epidermal function and immune responses. The goal of this study was to investigate differences in gene expression in lesional skin from patients with mild extrinsic or intrinsic AD compared to skin from healthy controls and from lesional psoriasis skin. The aim was to identify differentially expressed genes involved in skin barrier formation and inflammation, and to compare our results with those reported for patients with moderate and severe AD. A total of 31 samples were analyzed: 8 healthy skin, 9 psoriatic plaques, 4 extrinsic AD lesional skin, 10 intrinsic AD lesional skin.
Project description:Background: DOCK8 deficiency is an autosomal recessive form of hyperimmunoglobulinemia E syndrome (HIES). Severe atopic dermatitis (AD) shares with DOCK8 deficiency some clinical symptoms, including eczema, eosinophilia, and increased serum IgE levels. The deficiency of DOCK8 protein is potentially a life-threatening autosomal recessive HIES and only curable with bone marrow transplantation. Despite identified metabolomics and cytokine biomarkers, novel proteomics biomarkers need to be identified, as the connecting networks are critical to our understanding of this disease. Hence we performed serum proteomics profiling using LC-MSE SynaptG2. Method: Label-free untargeted proteomics analysis was used to identify potentially reliable, sensitive, and specific protein biomarkers in serum collected from DOCK8 (n=10), AD (n=9) patients, which were compared to ctrls (n=5). Results: From a total of 275 quantifiable proteins, binary comparisons between AD vs. Ctrl, DOCK8 vs. Ctrl, and DOCK8 vs. AD revealed 109, 105 and 85 dysregulated proteins, respectively. 24 among 85 proteins were specific potential biomarkers among the DOCK8 and AD groups. The sensitivity and specificity of few proteins like Claspin, Immunoglobulin kappa and heavy, complement components as potential biomarkers to distinguish between DOCK8 and AD patients were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. DOCK8 deficiency and AD groups' profiling revealed a shared role of ERK1/2 among the commonly dysregulated proteins. Conclusion: In this study, we have identified potential proteomics biomarkers and profile to distinguish between DOCK8 and AD, with possible diagnostic and therapeutic applications to help create effective interventions for managing these diseases. Further studies to confirm these associations in prospective cohorts are warranted.
Project description:Atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by dysregulated T cell immunity and skin microbiome dysbiosis with predominance of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Emerging evidence suggests a role for S. aureus in exacerbating AD skin inflammation. Interestingly, specific glycosylation of S. aureus cell wall structures amplifies skin inflammation through interaction with Langerhans cells (LCs). However, the role of LCs in AD remains poorly characterized. Here, we performed single cell RNA-sequencing of primary epidermal LCs and dermal T cells isolated from skin biopsies of AD patients and healthy controls, alongside specific glycoanalysis of S. aureus strains isolated from the AD lesions. Our findings reveal four LC subpopulations, including two steady-state clusters (LC1 and LC1H) and two pro-inflammatory/matured subsets (LC2 and migratory LCs). The latter two subsets were enriched in AD skin. AD LCs showed enhanced expression of C-type lectin receptors, the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεR1), and activation of prostaglandin and leukotrienes biosynthesis pathways, as well as upregulated transcriptional signatures related to T cell activation pathways and increased expression of CCL17 (specifically LC2) compared to healthy LCs. Correspondingly, T helper 2 and regulatory T cell populations were increased in AD lesions. Our study provides proof-of-concept for an active role of LCs in connecting the S. aureus-T cell axis in the AD inflammatory cycle.