Dark Side of ATP May Hold Clues to Cause of Rosacea

BARRINGTON, Illinois (March 13, 2007) -- Researchers have found that one of the most common and hard-working substances in the body may have a Jekyll and Hyde quality in rosacea patients, assuming a darker role when activated by flare-up triggers, according to study results reported in Rosacea Review. Rosacea is a red-faced, acne-like disorder now estimated to affect more than 14 million Americans.

"Sometimes a signal that is involved in positive activities can also result in negative effects," noted Dr. Richard Granstein, chairman of dermatology at Cornell University, lead investigator in the ongoing research funded by the National Rosacea Society (NRS). "One way to improve therapy is to identify those inflammatory pathways involved with rosacea so they can be better controlled." The researchers have discovered that when adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) -- a neurotransmitter and carrier of chemical energy throughout the body -- is released into the skin by the nerves, a cascade of microscopic events may occur in rosacea patients that ultimately leads to the bumps and pimples of subtype 2 (papulopustular) rosacea.

"As with many disorders, inflammation represents a normal body process gone awry," Dr. Granstein explained. Inflammation is a protective response to injury or destruction of tissues that serves to destroy, dilute or wall off both the agent of injury and the injured tissue, so that tissue can repair itself.

The most evident outward signs and symptoms of inflammation are pain, heat, redness, swelling and loss of function. However, the biochemical processes that accomplish this reaction are complex, and involve dilation of blood vessels accompanied by increased blood flow, release of fluids and the movement of leukocytes -- blood cells that engulf and digest bacteria and fungi and are an important part of the body's defense system, according to Dr. Granstein.

While ATP has many functions in the body, its role in the development of rosacea may involve its job as a messenger from the nerves. The nervous system regulates blood flow to the skin, using ATP to prompt the dilation of blood vessels following exposure to rosacea triggers such as sunlight, emotional stress or alcohol. This process may result in the flushing and redness of subtype 1 (erythematotelangiectatic) rosacea.

According to Dr. Granstein, ATP may also be involved in the movement and buildup of leukocytes onto endothelial cells -- cells that line the blood vessels. In rosacea, the researchers found that endothelial cells respond to ATP with changes in the expression of inflammatory cytokines and other substances that act to recruit inflammatory cells and may lead to rosacea's bumps and pimples.

"As we continue to learn more about the biochemical processes that lead to rosacea, we should increasingly be able to identify how signs and symptoms occur in order to develop appropriate means to prevent them," Dr. Granstein said. He noted that, while current therapies may block some of these pathways, the process is still unclear and should become increasingly evident through continuing research.

Rosacea is a chronic disorder that primarily affects the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead, and is often characterized by flare-ups and remissions. It typically first appears at any time after age 30 as a flushing or redness that comes and goes.

Over time, the redness becomes ruddier and more persistent, and visible blood vessels may appear. Without treatment, bumps and pimples often develop, and in severe cases, the nose may become swollen and enlarged from excess tissue. In many patients, the eyes are also affected, feeling irritated and appearing watery or bloodshot.

For information and educational materials on rosacea, write the National Rosacea Society, 111 Lions Dr., Ste. 216, Barrington, Illinois 60010, or call its toll-free number at 1-800-NO-BLUSH. Information and materials are also available on the NRS Web site at www.rosacea.org, or via e-mail at info@rosacea.org.

 

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