Abstract
Radiation-induced skin injury can take the form of serious cutaneous damage and have specific characteristics. Asymptomatic periods are classified as the latent stage. The skin barrier plays a critical role in the modulation of skin permeability and hydration and protects the body against a harsh external environment. However, an analysis on skin barrier dysfunction against radiation exposure in the latent stage has not been conducted. Thus, we investigated whether the skin barrier is impaired by irradiation in the latent stage and aimed to identify the molecules involved in skin barrier dysfunction. We analyzed skin barrier function and its components in SKH1 mice that received 20 and 40 Gy local irradiation. Increased transepidermal water loss and skin pH were observed in the latent stage of the irradiated skin. Skin barrier components, such as structural proteins and lipid synthesis enzymes in keratinocyte, increased in the irradiated group. Interestingly, we noted sebaceous gland atrophy and increased serine protease and inflammatory cytokines in the irradiated skin during the latent period. This finding indicates that the main factor of skin barrier dysfunction in the latent stage of radiation-induced skin injury is sebaceous gland deficiency, which could be an intervention target for skin barrier impairment.
Highlights
Skin injury due to radiation therapy or after a nuclear or radiological event can take the form of serious cutaneous damage [1]
We developed a non-invasive diagnostic method to evaluate skin barrier function, which could be applied during the asymptomatic stage of radiation-induced skin injury
To detect dermatological phenotype alteration due to irradiation in a mouse model, we evaluated the skin of SKH1 mice that received a single dose of 20 or 40 Gy local irradiation for 14 days
Summary
Skin injury due to radiation therapy or after a nuclear or radiological event can take the form of serious cutaneous damage [1]. SG-derived lipids, which are synthesized by sebocytes, are secreted to the surface of the stratum corneum, and are essential in skin and hair coat waterproofing. Their antioxidative and antimicrobacterial properties have led to the assumption that they are vital in maintaining the epidermal barrier [15,16,17]. Information on the change in skin barrier, including the cornified envelope, skin surface lipid, and serine protease, in the latent stage of radiation-induced skin injury is limited. We developed a non-invasive diagnostic method to evaluate skin barrier function, which could be applied during the asymptomatic stage of radiation-induced skin injury. We investigated the underlying mechanisms of skin barrier dysfunction in the latent stage
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