A New Insight into the Potential Role of Tryptophan-Derived AhR Ligands in Skin Physiological and Pathological Processes

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays a crucial role in environmental responses and xenobiotic metabolism, as it controls the transcription profiles of several genes in a ligand-specific and cell-type-specific manner. Various barrier tissues, including skin, display the expression of AhR. Recent...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of molecular sciences 2021-01, Vol.22 (3), p.1104
Main Authors: Szelest, Monika, Walczak, Katarzyna, Plech, Tomasz
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pollution
Aromatic compounds
aryl hydrocarbon receptor
Binding sites
Biological effects
Carbazole
Carbazoles
Cell cycle
Cell growth
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
Eczema
FICZ
Gene expression
Homeostasis
Hydrocarbons
Inflammation
Inflammatory diseases
Kinases
Kynurenic acid
kynurenine
Ligands
Metabolism
Metabolites
Physiology
Pigmentation
Pollutants
Proteins
Review
Skin
Skin diseases
Transcription
Transcription factors
Tryptophan
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Summary:The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays a crucial role in environmental responses and xenobiotic metabolism, as it controls the transcription profiles of several genes in a ligand-specific and cell-type-specific manner. Various barrier tissues, including skin, display the expression of AhR. Recent studies revealed multiple roles of AhR in skin physiology and disease, including melanogenesis, inflammation and cancer. Tryptophan metabolites are distinguished among the groups of natural and synthetic AhR ligands, and these include kynurenine, kynurenic acid and 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ). Tryptophan derivatives can affect and regulate a variety of signaling pathways. Thus, the interest in how these substances influence physiological and pathological processes in the skin is expanding rapidly. The widespread presence of these substances and potential continuous exposure of the skin to their biological effects indicate the important role of AhR and its ligands in the prevention, pathogenesis and progression of skin diseases. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of AhR in skin physiology. Moreover, we discuss the role of AhR in skin pathological processes, including inflammatory skin diseases, pigmentation disorders and cancer. Finally, the impact of FICZ, kynurenic acid, and kynurenine on physiological and pathological processes in the skin is considered. However, the mechanisms of how AhR regulates skin function require further investigation.
ISSN:1422-0067
1661-6596
1422-0067
DOI:10.3390/ijms22031104