Atopic skin: In vivo Raman identification of global molecular signature, a comparative study with healthy skin

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common skin inflammatory disease, affecting up to 3% of adults and 20% of children. Skin barrier impairment is thought to be the primary factor in this disease. Currently, there is no method proposed to monitor non-invasively the different molecular disorders involved in the upper layer of AD skin. Raman microspectroscopy has proved to be a powerful tool to characterize some AD molecular descriptors such as lipid content, global hydration level, filaggrin and its derivatives. Our investigations aimed to extend the use of in vivo Raman microspectroscopy as a rapid and non-invasive diagnostic technique for lipid conformation and organisation, protein secondary structure and bound water content analysis in atopic skin. Our approach was based on the analysis of Raman data collected on the stratum corneum (SC) of 11 healthy and 10 mild to moderate atopic patients. Atopic skin revealed a modification of lipid organisation and conformation in addition to the decrease of the lipid to protein ratio. This study also highlighted a reduction of the bound water and an increase of protein organized secondary structure in atopic skin. All these descriptors worsen the barrier function, state and appearance of the skin in AD. These precise and relevant information will allow an in vivo follow-up of the pathology and a better evaluation of the pharmacological activity of therapeutic molecules for the treatment of AD.

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