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Review
. 2023 Sep 1:14:1252972.
doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1252972. eCollection 2023.

Insulin and the sebaceous gland function

Obumneme Emeka Okoro  1 , Emanuela Camera  2 , Enrica Flori  2 , Monica Ottaviani  2
Affiliations
Review

Insulin and the sebaceous gland function

Obumneme Emeka Okoro et al. Front Physiol. .

Abstract

Insulin affects metabolic processes in different organs, including the skin. The sebaceous gland (SG) is an important appendage in the skin, which responds to insulin-mediated signals, either directly or through the insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1) axis. Insulin cues are differently translated into the activation of metabolic processes depending on several factors, including glucose levels, receptor sensitivity, and sebocyte differentiation. The effects of diet on both the physiological function and pathological conditions of the SG have been linked to pathways activated by insulin and IGF-1. Experimental evidence and theoretical speculations support the association of insulin resistance with acne vulgaris, which is a major disorder of the SG. In this review, we examined the effects of insulin on the SG function and their implications in the pathogenesis of acne.

Keywords: MTOR signaling; acne; insulin; sebaceous gland; sebocytes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Schematic representation of the overall SG structure and partition into zones corresponding to various stages of sebocyte differentiation. Parts of Figure 1 were drawn using images from Servier Medical Art, provided by Servier, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 unported license.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Insulin effects on the sebaceous gland. Insulin binding to IR/IGF-1R triggers the PI3K/Akt pathway and the critical downstream element mTORC1, which in turn activates the key lipogenic transcription factor SREBP1 and induces hyperproliferation. Moreover, insulin signaling enhances androgen synthesis as well as inflammatory response. A high glycemic diet and a sebocyte low differentiation grade exacerbate insulin stimulus. TG, triglycerides; FFA, free fatty acids; WE, wax esters; CE, cholesterol esters; CH, cholesterol. Parts of Figure 2 were drawn using images from Servier Medical Art, provided by Servier, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 unported license.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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