|
|
Article: Filaggrin variants and susceptibility to atopic dermatitis.
- Article from:
- Skin & Allergy News
- Article date:
- February 1, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 International Medical News Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The structural protein filaggrin plays a major role in the formation and maintenance of the skin's cornified envelope, or barrier. In response to deficiency, injury, or environmental insults, the barrier's protective proteins, including filaggrin, might be upregulated to maintain barrier integrity.
Recently, loss-of-function mutations in filaggrin have been identified as a major risk factor for atopic dermatitis. The discovery has provided much-needed insight into the underlying mechanisms of atopic dermatitis, the etiology and pathogenesis of which previously had been viewed primarily as a consequence of immunologic dysfunction.
O'Regan et al have ...