Expression of retinoid receptors in hand eczema

Hand eczema is the most common occupational skin disease. The etiology is multifactorial. Systemic alitretinoin, a pan-retinoic receptor agonist, has proven efficacy in the treatment of recalcitrant chronic hand eczema; however, its precise mechanism of action in hand eczema is not fully understood.

Assessment of the level of expression of retinoid receptors (RAR and RXR) in the skin of patients with hand eczema in an attempt to explain their possible role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Thirty patients with hand eczema and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Full clinical examination was done, and tissue levels of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and retinoid x receptor (RXR) were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).

The levels of RAR and RXR expression were significantly downregulated in the patient group compared to the control group; (P < 0.001) for both. In addition, there was a statistically significant negative correlation between Osnabrück Hand Eczema Severity Index (OHSI) and the levels of RAR and RXR expression (P < 0.001).

Deficient retinoid receptor expression has a primary role in the pathogenesis, clinical phenotype, and severity of hand eczema and sheds light on the mechanism of action of retinoids in the treatment of chronic hand eczema.