Summary
Stratum corneum sphingolipids are of particular importance in maintaining the water permeability barrier of mammalian epidermis. Free amino acids also play an important role in water retention in the stratum corneum. To clarify the way in which these substances affect scaly skin, stratum corneum sphingolipids and free amino acids collected from artificially-induced scaly skin were analysed. Scaly skin was induced by tape stripping. The total amount of sphingolipids was quantified by gas chromatography and five of sphingolipid fractions were isolated and quantified by thin-layer chromatography. Free amino acids were analysed using a high-speed amino analyser. The total amount of sphingolipid in scaly skin did not differ statistically from that in control skin. However, a significant change in the distribution of the five sphingolipid species was observed in scaly skin and the total amount of amino acids was decreased in scaly skin. These results suggest that the distribution of these five types of sphingolipid and the total amount of amino acids are responsible for scaly skin.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Elias PM, Menon GK (1991) Structural and lipid biochemical correlates of the epidermal permeability barrier. In: Elias PM (ed) Skin lipid. (Advances in lipid research, vol 24) Academic Press, San Diego California, pp 1–26
Folch J, McElroy WD, Glass B (1952) Phoshorus Metabolism, vol 2. John Hopkins, Baltimore, p 195
Frieberg SE, Kayali I, Bechermann W, Rhein LD, Simion A (1990) Water permeation of reaggregated stratum corneum with model lipid. J Invest Dermatol 94: 377–380
Fulmer AW, Kramer GJ (1986) Stratum corneum lipid abnormalities in surfactant induced dry scaly skin. J Invest Dermatol 86: 598–602
Golden GM, Guzek DB, Kennedy AH, McKie JE, Potts RO (1989) Stratum corneum lipid phase transitions and water barrier properties. Biochemistry 26: 2382–2388
Grubauer G, Feingold KR, Harris RM, Elias PM (1989) Lipid content and lipid type as determinants of the epidermal permeability barrier. J Lipid Res 30: 89–96
Hammarstrom S (1970) Gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of synthetic ceramides containing phytosphingosine. J Lipid Res 11: 175–182
Hammarstrom S, Samuelsson B, Samuelsson K (1970) Gasliquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of synthetic ceramides containing 2-hydroxy acids. J Lipid Res 11: 150–157
Horii I, Nakayama Y, Obata M, Tagami H (1989) Stratum corneum hydration and amino acid content in xerotic skin. Br J Dermatol 121: 587–592
Imokawa G, Hattori M (1985) A possible function of structural lipids in the water-holding properties of the stratum corneum. J Invest Dermatol 84: 282–284
Imokawa G, Abe A, Jin K, Higaki Y, Kawashima M, Hidano A (1991) Decreased level of ceramides in stratum corneum of atopic dermatitis: an etiological factor in atopic dry skin? J Invest Dermatol 96: 523–526
Koyama J, Horii I, Kawasaki K, Nakayama Y, Morikawa Y, Mitsui T (1984) Free amino acids of stratum corneum as a biochemical marker to evaluate dry skin. J Soc Cosmet Chem 35: 183–195
Landmann L (1986) Epidermal permeability barrier: Transformation of lamellar granule-disks into inter cellular sheets by a membrane-fusion process, a freeze-fractur study. J Invest Dermatol 87: 202–209
Madison KC, Swarztendruber DC, Wertz PW, Downing DT (1989) Murine keratinocyte cultures grown at the air/medium interface synthesize stratum corneum lipids and ‘recycle’ linoleate during differentiation. J Invest Dermatol 93: 10–17
Melnik B, Hollmann J, Hofmann U, Yuh M-S, Plewig G (1990) Lipid composition of outer stratum corneum and nails in atopic and control subjects. Arch Dermatol Res 282: 549–551
Nilsson GE (1977) Measurement of water exchange through skin. Med Biol Eng 15: 209–218
Tagami H, Kohdo Y (1985) Interrelationship between waterbarrier and reservoir functions of pathologic stratum corneum. Arch Dermatol 121: 642–645
Tagami H, Ohi M, Iwatsuki K, Kanamaru Y, Yamada M, Ichijo B (1980) Evaluation of the skin surface hydration in vivo by electrical measurement. J Invest Dermatol 75: 500–507
Takahashi M, Aizawa M, Machida Y, Marks R (1986) A test to monitor age-associated change in human morphological changes in corneocyte. J Soc Cosmet Chem Japan 20: 194–200
Tsuchiya T, Horii I, Nakayama Y (1988) Interrelationship between the change in water content of the stratum corneum and the amount of natural moisturizing factor of the stratum corneum after UVB irradiation. J Soc Cosmet Chem Jpn 22: 10–14
Watanabe M, Tagami H, Horii I, Takahashi M, Klingman AM (1991) Functional analyses of the superficial stratum corneum in atopic xerosis. Arch Dermatol 127: 1689–1692
Wefers H, Melnik BC, Flur M, Bluhm C, Lehmann P, Plewig G (1991) Influence of UV irradiation on the composition of human stratum corneum lipids. J Invest Dermatol 96: 959–962
Wertz PW, Downing DT (1983) Ceramides of pig epidermis: structure determination. J Lipid Res 24: 759–765
Yamamoto A, Serizawa S, Ito M, Sato Y (1991) Stratum corneum lipid abnormalities in atopic dermatitis. Arch Dermatol Res 283: 219–223
Yamaura T, Tezuka T (1989) The water-holding capacity of the stratum corneum measured by 1H-NMR. J Invest Dermatol 93: 160–164
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Denda, M., Hori, J., Koyama, J. et al. Stratum corneum sphingolipids and free amino acids in experimentally-induced scaly skin. Arch Dermatol Res 284, 363–367 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00372041
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00372041