Toll-like receptors: their roles in pathomechanisms of atopic dermatitis

The skin functions as a physical barrier and represents the first line of the innate immune system. There is increasing evidence that toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in the pathomechanisms of not only infectious diseases, but also non-infectious inflammatory diseases. Interestingly, it has been demonstrated that TLRs recognize both exogenous threats, e.g. bacteria and viruses, and endogenous danger signals related to inflammation, cell necrosis, or tissue damage. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease, which is associated with impaired skin barrier function, increased skin irritability to non-specific stimuli, and percutaneous sensitization. The impairment of skin barrier function in AD allows various stimuli, such as potential allergens and pathogens, to penetrate the skin and activate the innate immune system, including TLR signaling, which can lead to the development of adaptive immune reactions. In this review, I summarize the current understanding of the roles of TLR signaling in the pathogenesis of AD, with special emphasis on skin barrier function and inflammation

Psoriasis Carries an Increased Risk of Venous Thromboembolism: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study

Psoriasis is an immunoinflammatory disease associated with cardiovascular risk factors, atherothrombotic events, and hypercoagulability. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is potentially lethal and shares risk factors with psoriasis, but the risk of VTE associated with psoriasis is unknown. The present study investigated the potential association between psoriasis and VTE.Information from nationwide prospectively recorded registers of hospitalization, drug dispensing from pharmacies, socio-economic data, and causes of death was linked on an individual level. In an unselected nationwide cohort, we used multivariate Poisson regression models controlling for age, gender, comorbidity, concomitant medication, socio-economic data, and calendar year, to assess the risk of VTE associated with psoriasis. A total of 35,138 patients with mild and 3,526 patients with severe psoriasis were identified and compared with 4,126,075 controls. Patients with psoriasis had higher incidence rates per 1000 person-years of VTE than controls (1.29, 1.92, and 3.20 for controls, mild psoriasis, and severe psoriasis, respectively). The rate ratio (RR) of VTE was elevated in all patients with psoriasis with RR 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21–1.49) and RR 2.06 (CI 1.63–2.61) for mild and severe psoriasis, respectively. Exclusion of patients with malignancies, and censoring of patients undergoing surgery did not alter the results.This nationwide cohort study indicates that patients with psoriasis are at increased risk of VTE. The risk was highest in young patients with severe psoriasis. Physicians should be aware that patients with psoriasis may be at increased risk of both venous and arterial thromboembolic events

Scientific Opinion on the evaluation of the substances currently on the list in the annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils – Part III of III

Shipping of edible fats and oils into Europe is permitted in bulk tanks, in which substances, included in a positive list, had been previously transported. The European Commission requested EFSA to evaluate the list of substances in the Annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils, taking into account its review of the Scientific Committee on Food criteria for acceptable previous cargoes and criteria proposed by the Codex Committee for Fats and Oils. This is the third and last scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) on this topic, in which sixteen of these substances or groups of substances have been evaluated. The CONTAM Panel concluded that sodium silicate (water glass) solution, iso-octanol, iso-nonanol, iso-decanol, 1,3-propanediol, isobutyl acetate, sec-butyl acetate, tert-butyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, propylene tetramer, paraffin wax, candelilla wax, white mineral oils and glycerol would not be of health concern as previous cargoes. The CONTAM Panel concluded that carnauba wax was not acceptable as a previous cargo because of its insolubility in water and high melting point, which raise concerns regarding the efficiency of tank cleaning. There was insufficient information available on the composition of montan wax for the CONTAM Panel to conclude that it would be of no health concern when used as previous cargo and hence it does not meet the criteria for acceptability as previous cargo. The CONTAM Panel made several recommendations regarding the way in which the substances are described in the Annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC, to correct inaccuracies and to better reflect current transport practices