Distinct molecular signatures of mild extrinsic and intrinsic atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease with underlying defects in epidermal function and immune responses. The goal of this study was to investigate differences in gene expression in lesional skin from patients with mild extrinsic or intrinsic AD compared to skin from healthy controls and from lesional psoriasis skin. The aim was to identify differentially expressed genes involved in skin barrier formation and inflammation, and to compare our results with those reported for patients with moderate and severe AD. A total of 31 samples were analyzed: 8 healthy skin, 9 psoriatic plaques, 4 extrinsic AD lesional skin, 10 intrinsic AD lesional skin.