Deficient Production of Hexadecenoic Acid in the Skin Is Associated in Part with the Vulnerability of Atopic Dermatitis Patients to Colonization by <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>

Vol. 211, No. 3, 2005

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Clinical and Laboratory Investigations

Deficient Production of Hexadecenoic Acid in the Skin Is Associated in Part with the Vulnerability of Atopic Dermatitis Patients to Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus
Hirofumi Takigawa^a, Hidemi Nakagawa^c, Michiya Kuzukawa^b, Hajime Mori^a, Genji Imokawa^a

^aBiological Science Laboratories and
^bAnalytical Research Center, Kao Corporation, Tochigi,
^cDepartment of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan

Address of Corresponding Author

Dermatology 2005;211:240-248 (DOI: 10.1159/000087018)

Key Words

Atopic dermatitis
cis-6-Hexadecenoic acid
Skin surface lipids
Staphylococcus aureus
Antibacterial activity

Abstract

Background and Objectives: As one of the major skin fatty acids, cis-6-hexadecenoic acid (C16:1 Delta 6) exhibits a specific antibacterial activity and might play a specific role in the defense mechanism against Staphylococcus aureus, in healthy subjects whereas S. aureus frequently colonizes the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Methods: Fatty acid composition of sebum at the recovery level was analyzed by gas chromatography and S. aureus colonizing the skin was assessed by the 'cup-scrub' method (9 patients and 10 healthy controls). To evaluate in vivo effect of C16:1 Delta 6 on colonization, C16:1 Delta 6 was applied for 2 weeks on the upper arm skin of another group of AD patients (11 patients). Results: Analysis of sebum lipids revealed that there is a significant lower free C16:1 Delta 6 content in nonlesional skin from AD patients compared with healthy controls. This lower content is also accompanied by a significantly lower level of C16:1 Delta 6 in the total fatty acid composition of sebum (analyzed following hydrolysis). The lower level of free C16:1 Delta 6 correlated significantly (R² = 0.41, p < 0.01) with the numbers of S. aureus colonizing nonlesional skin. Topical application of free C16:1 Delta 6 on the skin of AD patients for 2 weeks abolished the markedly increased bacterial count in 6 out of the 8 AD patients tested. Conclusions: Free C16:1 Delta 6 may be involved in the defense mechanism against S. aureus in healthy skin and this deficit triggers the susceptibility of the skin to colonization by S. aureus in AD.

Author Contacts

Genji Imokawa, PhD
Biological Science Laboratories, Kao Corporation
2606 Akabane, Ichikai-machi
Haga, Tochigi 321-34 (Japan)
Tel. +81 28 568 7467, Fax +81 28 610 5337, E-Mail imokawag@dream.ocn.ne.jp

Article Information

Received: October 21, 2004
Accepted: January 4, 2005
Number of Print Pages : 9
Number of Figures : 5, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 22

Medline Abstract (ID 16205069)

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