Glucocorticoids for Human Skin: New Aspects of the Mechanism of Action

Vol. 18, No. 3, 2005

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Review

Glucocorticoids for Human Skin: New Aspects of the Mechanism of Action
M. Schäfer-Korting^a, B. Kleuser^a, M. Ahmed^a, H.-D. Höltje^b, H.C. Korting^c

^aPharmakologie und Toxikologie, Institut für Pharmazie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin,
^bPharmazeutische Chemie, Institut für Pharmazie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf,
^cKlinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Deutschland

Address of Corresponding Author

Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2005;18:103-114 (DOI: 10.1159/000084907)

Key Words

Glucocorticoids
Genomic effects
Glucocorticoid receptor
Non-genomic effects
Cellular signalling
Skin

Abstract

Topical glucocorticoids have always been considered first-line drugs for inflammatory diseases of the skin and bronchial system. Applied systemically, glucocorticoids are used for severe inflammatory and immunological diseases and the inhibition of transplant rejection. Owing to the progress in molecular pharmacology, the knowledge of the mechanism of action has increased during the last years. Besides distinct genomic targets, which are due to the activation of specific cytoplasmatic receptors resulting in the (trans-) activation or (trans-) repression of target genes, there are non-genomic effects on the basis of the interference with membrane-associated receptors as well as with membrane lipids. In fact, various glucocorticoids appear to differ with respect to the relative influence on these targets. Thus, the extended knowledge of glucocorticoid-induced cellular signalling should allow the design and development of even more specifically acting drugs - as it has been obtained with other steroids, e.g. estrogens for osteoporosis prevention.

Author Contacts

Prof. Dr. M. Schäfer-Korting
Institut für Pharmazie (Pharmakologie und Toxikologie)
Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Strasse 2-4
DE-14195 Berlin (Deutschland)
Tel. +49 30 838 53283, Fax +49 30 838 54399, E-Mail msk@zedat.fu-berlin.de

Article Information

Received: June 1, 2004
Accepted after revision: October 19, 2004
Number of Print Pages : 12
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 82

Medline Abstract (ID 15897682)

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