- How COVID Quarantine May Have Fueled Infantile AD
➜ DOI: 10.1111/all.16561
Environmental exposures in early life are increasingly linked to the development of AD. China’s COVID-19 lockdown drastically altered infant environmental contact. This Shanghai birth cohort study examined 2204 mother–child pairs, comparing pre- and post-quarantine births. Infants exposed to early-life quarantine had significantly higher rates of AD by 6 months. Statistical models (logistic regression, PSM, IPTW) confirmed a 2.27–2.93x higher AD risk. Reduced microbial exposure and increased indoor chemical exposure likely contributed. Pandemic-related lifestyle changes (diet, stress, physical inactivity) may have worsened the risk. The findings support the hygiene/ biodiversity hypothesis as a framework to understand rising allergy rates.
- Hidden Signs of Pruritus in Infants with AD
➜ DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-93412-8
Although the ability to feel itch is present from birth, pruritus in infants is often overlooked. This study analyzed video recordings of infants under 6 months, comparing those with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) to healthy peers. It found that infants with AD showed significantly more hand and grasping movements—early signs of scratching behavior—despite not yet having full motor skills. These behaviors correlated with AD severity, highlighting the need for better recognition of itch-related distress in very young infants.
- From Modeling Temperature Fluctuations to Blocking TRPV1: Restoring the Skin Barrier and Treating Pruritus
➜ DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2025.02.154
This study begins with the observation that repeated exposure to temperature fluctuations (Temp-Fluc) leads to skin barrier dysfunction by inhibiting filaggrin (FLG). Silencing the TRPV1 gene reduces this FLG inhibition and downregulates the production of IL-1β, TSLP, and IL-33—cytokines known to trigger allergic inflammation. Additional experiments demonstrated that pharmacological TRPV1 blockade mimic the effects of gene silencing, helping to restore barrier function (TEWL). Enhanced calcium influx in keratinocytes further supported TRPV1’s role in the skin’s response. Organotypic skin models confirmed TRPV1’s central involvement in Temp-Fluc-induced damage. These findings align with clinical trial data on a topical TRPV1 blocker (asivatrep), which has shown promising results in treating atopic dermatitis (AD).
- Can Early Short-Term Moisturizer Use Rewrite an Infant’s Microbiome and Prevent Atopic Dermatitis?
➜ DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2025.03.017
As atopic dermatitis (AD) cases continue to rise, this ancillary study from the STOP AD trial investigated how early-life skin microbiome patterns and emollient use influence disease development. Short-term emollient use in infants shifted the skin microbiome toward beneficial taxa negatively associated with AD, while reducing pro-inflammatory taxa. These microbiome changes remained more stable over time compared to standard skin care. Notably, no strong link was found between Staphylococcus aureus presence and future AD, challenging its role as a biomarker. In infants with FLG mutations, harmful metabolic pathways were enriched in those who developed AD—an effect attenuated by emollient use. These findings suggest that daily moisturizer application in early infancy may foster a protective microbiome and lower the risk of developing AD, offering a promising, non-invasive prevention strategy.
- Serine Sensing System for tracking moisturizer treatment of a patient with AD
➜ DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58147-0
The authors have developed a serine sensing system integrated with a wearable serine sensing patch and a customized handheld tester for the in-situ sampling and measurement of epidermal serine levels, as a biomarker associated with the functionality and integrity of the skin barrier. They demonstrate the application of this serine sensing system in assessing the moisturizing effect of a skincare product and tracking the recovery progress of skin barrier function in a patient with atopic dermatitis. This work opens a potential application scenario for portable biosensors in personalized skin healthcare.