TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of acute social stress on epidermal Langerhans' cell frequency and expression of cutaneous neuropeptides
AU - Kleyn, C. Elise
AU - Schneider, Laura
AU - Saraceno, Rosita
AU - Mantovani, Cristina
AU - Richards, Helen L.
AU - Fortune, Donal G.
AU - Cumberbatch, Marie
AU - Dearman, Rebecca J.
AU - Terenghi, Giorgio
AU - Kimber, Ian
AU - Griffiths, Christopher E.M.
PY - 2008/5
Y1 - 2008/5
N2 - Psychological stress is believed to exacerbate inflammatory skin disease but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We investigated the impact of acute social stress - Trier public speaking test - on: epidermal Langerhans' cell (LC) frequency; and cutaneous nerve fiber expression of protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Thirty-six healthy volunteers each had a pair of baseline 6 mm biopsies taken from sun-protected buttock skin. A second pair of biopsies was taken from contralateral buttock 4 hours (n=5) or 24 hours (n=15) after the Trier stressor. Controls (n=16) did not perform the Trier and had biopsies 24 hours apart. One of each pair of biopsies (baseline; 4 or 24 hours) was processed for counts of epidermal CD1a + LC; the other examined for PGP 9.5 and CGRP expression. We observed a significant (P<0.01) 16.4% reduction in epidermal LC frequency 24 hours post-stressor as compared with baseline; there was no significant change from baseline in non-stressed controls. At 24 hours, PGP 9.5 and CGRP were increased (P=0.025) and reduced (P=0.03), respectively, from baseline in the stressed group compared with controls. These data suggest that acute social stress reduces epidermal LC frequency and modulates cutaneous neuropeptide expression thereby supporting the concept of a "brain-skin" axis.
AB - Psychological stress is believed to exacerbate inflammatory skin disease but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We investigated the impact of acute social stress - Trier public speaking test - on: epidermal Langerhans' cell (LC) frequency; and cutaneous nerve fiber expression of protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Thirty-six healthy volunteers each had a pair of baseline 6 mm biopsies taken from sun-protected buttock skin. A second pair of biopsies was taken from contralateral buttock 4 hours (n=5) or 24 hours (n=15) after the Trier stressor. Controls (n=16) did not perform the Trier and had biopsies 24 hours apart. One of each pair of biopsies (baseline; 4 or 24 hours) was processed for counts of epidermal CD1a + LC; the other examined for PGP 9.5 and CGRP expression. We observed a significant (P<0.01) 16.4% reduction in epidermal LC frequency 24 hours post-stressor as compared with baseline; there was no significant change from baseline in non-stressed controls. At 24 hours, PGP 9.5 and CGRP were increased (P=0.025) and reduced (P=0.03), respectively, from baseline in the stressed group compared with controls. These data suggest that acute social stress reduces epidermal LC frequency and modulates cutaneous neuropeptide expression thereby supporting the concept of a "brain-skin" axis.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=42149163393&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/sj.jid.5701144
DO - 10.1038/sj.jid.5701144
M3 - Article
C2 - 17989731
AN - SCOPUS:42149163393
SN - 0022-202X
VL - 128
SP - 1273
EP - 1279
JO - Journal of Investigative Dermatology
JF - Journal of Investigative Dermatology
IS - 5
ER -