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Irritant Contact Dermatitis

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Filaggrin

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Abstract

Filaggrin may modify the risk for irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) in different ways. In the stratum corneum (SC), which is the principal barrier of the skin, filaggrin is responsible for the structural strength by aggregating the keratin filaments, while its breakdown products contribute to adequate hydration, pH balance, and anti-bacterial defence. Thus, deficiency of filaggrin, whether inherited or acquired, may lead to an impaired epidermal barrier function, facilitating ingress of skin-irritating chemicals and development of ICD. Next to the direct risk-enhancing effect that can be attributed to impaired epidermal barrier, filaggrin may act through atopic dermatitis (AD), which in turn is a major risk factor for ICD.

Recent epidemiological studies provide evidence that filaggrin gene (FLG) mutations confer the risk for chronic ICD. The strongest risk has been found in patients with concomitant AD. FLG mutations in the presence of AD seem also to be a modifier of the severity of the clinical course in ICD, supporting the view that this group represents a special risk population for ICD.

Insight into the role of filaggrin deficiency in the development of ICD may be assisted by more tailored prevention in occupations associated with high prevalence of ICD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 15, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, The Netherlands

    Sanja Kezic PhD & Maaike J. Visser BS

Authors
  1. Sanja Kezic PhD
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  2. Maaike J. Visser BS
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Correspondence to Sanja Kezic PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermato-Allergology, National Allergy Research Centre, Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark

    Jacob P. Thyssen

  2. Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Kezic, S., Visser, M.J. (2014). Irritant Contact Dermatitis. In: Thyssen, J., Maibach, H. (eds) Filaggrin. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54379-1_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54379-1_24

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-54378-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-54379-1

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