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. 2025 Jun;92(6):1277-1287.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2025.01.082. Epub 2025 Feb 1.

Tape-strip profiling identifies unique immune and lipid dysregulation in patients with seborrheic dermatitis

Benjamin Ungar  1 , Meredith Manson  1 , Madeline Kim  1 , Digpal Gour  1 , Panipak Temboonnark  1 , Ragasruti Metukuru  1 , Joel Correa Da Rosa  1 , Yeriel Estrada  1 , Jesús Gay-Mimbrera  2 , Pedro J Gómez-Arias  2 , Juan Ruano  2 , Avner Shemer  3 , Diane Hanna  4 , Patrick Burnett  4 , Emma Guttman-Yassky  5
Affiliations
Free article

Tape-strip profiling identifies unique immune and lipid dysregulation in patients with seborrheic dermatitis

Benjamin Ungar et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025 Jun.
Free article

Abstract

Background: Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a common, chronic inflammatory skin disease with limited understanding of its pathophysiology. Molecular profiling has been limited by invasiveness of sampling methods.

Objective: To analyze the molecular skin profile of adult patients with SD using tape strips.

Methods: Tape-strips obtained from facial lesions of 26 adult SD patients and 18 demographically matched healthy controls were evaluated with RNA sequencing.

Results: SD molecular skin fingerprint was characterized by strong and significant upregulation of interleukin (IL)23/T-helper (Th)17 and Th22 (i.e. IL23A, IL22, PI3, LL37, S100A8, S100A12), some Th1 skewing (OASL, STAT1, CXCL9), and limited Th2 modulation. A parallel downregulation of barrier markers (CLDN1/8, FA2H, ELOVL3) was also observed.

Limitations: Limited representation of mild and severe SD patients.

Conclusion: These data deepen our understanding of SD suggesting that it has robust Th17/Th22, some Th1 skewing, and minimal Th2 activation, and associated skin barrier alterations. This provides rationale for novel immunomodulatory treatment approaches for SD patients targeting IL23/Th17 and/or Th22 pathways.

Keywords: IL-17; IL-23; IL-36; Th17; Th22; atopic dermatitis; face; facial; profiling; psoriasis; seb derm; seborrheic dermatitis; tape strip; tape-strip; tape-stripping; transcriptomic.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest Dr Guttman-Yassky has served as a consultant for AbbVie, Amgen, Allergan, Asana Bioscience, Celgene, Concert, Dermira, DS Biopharma, Escalier, Galderma, Glenmark, Kyowa Kirin, LEO Pharmaceuticals, Lilly, Mitsubishi Tanabe, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, and Union Therapeutics; they are a member of advisory boards of Allergan, Asana Bioscience, Celgene, DBV, Dermavant, Dermira, Escalier, Galderma, Glenmark, Kyowa Kirin, LEO Pharma, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, and Sanofi; they are also a recipient of research grants from AbbVie, AnaptysBio, AntibioTx, Asana Bioscience, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Celgene, DBV, Dermavant, DS Biopharma, Galderma, Glenmark, Innovaderm, Janssen Biotech, Kiniksa Pharma, LEO Pharmaceuticals, Lilly, Medimmune, Sienna Biopharmaceuticals, Novan, Novartis, Ralexar, Regeneron, Pfizer, UCB, and Union Therapeutics. Dr Ungar is an employee of Mount Sinai and has received research funds (grants paid to the institution) from: Incyte, Rapt Therapeutics, Pfizer, and Sanofi. He is also a consultant for Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Castle Biosciences, Fresenius Kabi, Galderma, Janssen, Lilly, Pfizer, Primus Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, and UCB. Author Hanna is an employee of Arcutis Biotherapeutics. Dr Burnett is an employee of Arcutis Biotherapeutics. Authors Manson, Metukuru, and Estrada and Drs Kim, Gour, Temboonnark, Da Rosa, Gay-Mimbrera, Gómez-Arias, Ruano, and Shemer have no conflicts of interest to declare.