New Drugs Could Target a Specific Anti-Acne Gene

Dermatological researchers have found that the anti-acne drug 13-cis retinoic acid (isotretinoin) works by increasing expression of a gene that mediates apoptosis of human sebaceous glands. While isotretinoin is the most potent drug available for treatment of acne, its use is restricted because of many potential serious side effects.

Investigators at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine (Hershey) worked with cell cultures prepared from sebaceous gland tissue obtained from acne patients either before treatment or after one week of isotretinoin therapy.

They reported in the March 3, 2008, online edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation that lipocalin 2 was among the genes most highly upregulated by isotretinoin. Lipocalin 2 encodes neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin (NGAL), which functions in innate immune defense and induces apoptosis of murine B lymphocytes.

The authors suggested that in light of the potential severe side effects of isotretinoin treatment, agents that selectively induce NGAL expression in sebaceous glands might represent therapeutic alternatives to the use of isotretinoin to treat individuals with acne.


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Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine