Systemic isotretinoin therapy normalizes exaggerated TLR-2-mediated innate immune responses in acne patients.

ABSTRACT: Retinoids are used in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases and malignancies, but studies characterizing the in vivo actions of these drugs in humans are lacking. Isotretinoin is a pro-drug for all-trans retinoic acid, which can induce long-term remissions of acne; however, its complete mechanism of action is unknown. We hypothesized that isotretinoin induces remission of acne by normalizing the innate immune response to the commensal bacterium Propionibacterium acnes. Compared with normal subjects, peripheral blood monocytes from acne patients expressed significantly higher levels of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2) and exhibited significantly greater induction of TLR-2 expression following P. acnes stimulation. Treatment of patients with isotretinoin significantly decreased monocyte TL

SUBMITTER: Dispenza MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3614089 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature