Urea uptake enhances barrier function and antimicrobial defense in humans by regulating epidermal gene expression.

ABSTRACT: Urea is an endogenous metabolite, known to enhance stratum corneum hydration. Yet, topical urea anecdotally also improves permeability barrier function, and it appears to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Hence, we hypothesized that urea is not merely a passive metabolite, but a small-molecule regulator of epidermal structure and function. In 21 human volunteers, topical urea improved barrier function in parallel with enhanced antimicrobial peptide (AMP; LL-37 and β-defensin-2) expression. Urea stimulates the expression of, and is transported into, keratinocytes by two urea transporters (UTs), UT-A1 and UT-A2, and by aquaporins 3, 7, and 9. Inhibitors of these UTs block the downstream biological effects of urea, which include increased mRNA and protein levels of (i) transglutaminase-1, invol

SUBMITTER: Grether-Beck S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3352965 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature