Spontaneous and ceramide-induced apoptosis in the skin cells obtained from patients with atopic dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis, compared with donors

Abstract

This work aimed to investigate a level of an apoptosis (spontaneous and ceramide-induced) in the skin cells obtained from patients with atopic dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. We used the simple and low-cost laboratory method based on a fluorescence of propidium iodide in the fixed cells obtained by a scrape of skin followed by the flow cytometry analysis. The level of spontaneous apoptosis has been elevated in all samples from patients compared with healthy donors. The highest level of the skin cell apoptosis has been shown after eczema patient cells exposure to the bacterial sphingomyelinase. This effect was a dose-dependent. Psoriasis patient cells have been found to be less sensitive to sphingomyelinase compared with eczema ones. The level of the C2-ceramide – induced apoptosis in skin cells obtained from patients with eczema has been raised compared with atopic dermatitis patients and psoriasis. The apoptosis measured by this method may be used for a prognosis for skin diseases.