The following is a summary of “Gene profiling in active dermatitis lesions strengthens the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis,” published in the May 2024 issue of Dermatology by Lefevre, et al.
Differentiating between allergic and nonallergic forms of Contact Dermatitis (CD) has long been a challenge, often necessitating patch-testing investigations. However, the early identification of allergy biomarkers in active CD lesions, as this study suggests, could potentially streamline the management of patients with CD, offering a new ray of hope in the field of dermatology.
They assessed the expression of 12 allergy biomarkers using qRT-PCR in active lesions of 38 patients with CD. Allergic CD (ACD) was diagnosed based on patch test (PT) results and exposure assessment. The Molecular Signatures of Active Lesions and Positive PT Reactions were compared with those of reference chemical allergens and irritants.
Around 19 out of 38 patients with CD showed positive reactions upon patch-testing, with exposure assessment confirming ACD diagnosis for 17 of them. Gene profiling of active CD lesions revealed two distinct molecular patterns: patients with signatures akin to reference allergens (n = 23) or irritants (n = 15). Among the 23 patients exhibiting an “allergy signature,” 17 with confirmed ACD were identified, while no culprit allergen was detected for the remaining 6 patients. Interestingly, the 15 patients lacking biomarker induction had negative PT results, indicating nonallergic CD reactions.
The molecular signatures derived from active skin lesions, as discovered in this study, hold significant potential in stratifying patients with CD and predicting those afflicted with ACD. These findings could revolutionize patient management and clinical practice in the field of dermatology.