The pathophysiology of autoallergy in atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammation of the skin affecting ca. 20% of the children and 3% of the adults. Pathophysiology of AD is highly complex and understanding of disease endotypes may improve disease management. However, no classification of AD endotypes exist and defines a gap in the understanding of AD-pathophysiology.
Autoreactive IgE antibodies (auto-IgE) were observed in 30-90% of adult patients with severe and chronic AD, suggesting a progression from allergic type 2 inflammation to severe autoimmune processes against the skin. Previously, we confirmed the disease association of auto-IgE in adults but observed high
prevalence of auto-IgE in healthy children, suggesting a protective effect at this age. To date, the mechanisms of autoallergy and their pathophysiologic relevance is unclear but are believed to have consequences for diagnosis and therapy.
We aim to analyze blood and tissue samples of patients with AD and healthy individuals with and without auto-antibodies. We will characterize the subjects and link these
data to the presence of auto-allergy to evaluate the clinical relevance of auto-antibodies in AD using in vitro models. The outcome of the study will provide more insights in disease endotypes with direct impact on diagnosis, AD-endotyping and future therapies.
Ageing & Esthetics
Wounds & Surgery
Oncology