He Tian, Xu Fanrui, Liang Jing, Feng Qing, Cheng Dan, Xiao Linlin, Liu Maoyu, Zhang Xuerui, Wang Xin, Yang Yang, Zhu Dan, Tumanov Sergey, Cannon Richard D, Han Ting-Li, Chang Shufang
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
Metabolites. 2025 Aug 22;15(9):566. doi: 10.3390/metabo15090566.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Lichen simplex chronicus (LSC) of the vulva is a chronic dermatologic disorder characterized by persistent pruritus, compulsive scratching, and progressive thickening of the vulvar skin. Currently, LSC diagnosis primarily relies on clinical presentation, with histopathological examination performed when the diagnosis is unclear. However, the precise pathogenic mechanisms driving the disease remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the pathogenesis of LSC and evaluate the feasibility of tape stripping as a non-invasive diagnostic technique.
Skin specimens were obtained using both traditional biopsy and tape stripping methods, and the metabolites and oxidized lipids in these samples were analyzed using advanced mass spectrometry techniques.
Our findings suggest that 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), an oxidized derivative of arachidonic acid (AA), activates the TRPV1 receptor, thereby exacerbating the itch-scratch cycle. This activation upregulates energy metabolism and promotes epidermal hyperplasia, providing new insights into the disease's pathophysiology.
Our study suggests that tape stripping could serve as a viable non-invasive diagnostic tool for LSC, with linoleic acid (LA) and AA potentially acting as biomarkers for the disease.
背景/目的：外阴慢性单纯性苔藓（LSC）是一种慢性皮肤病，其特征为持续性瘙痒、强迫性搔抓以及外阴皮肤逐渐增厚。目前，LSC的诊断主要依靠临床表现，诊断不明确时进行组织病理学检查。然而，驱动该疾病的确切致病机制仍知之甚少。本研究旨在探究LSC的发病机制，并评估胶带粘贴法作为一种非侵入性诊断技术的可行性。
使用传统活检和胶带粘贴法获取皮肤样本，并采用先进的质谱技术分析这些样本中的代谢物和氧化脂质。
我们的研究结果表明，花生四烯酸（AA）的氧化衍生物20-羟基二十碳四烯酸（20-HETE）激活TRPV1受体，从而加剧瘙痒-搔抓循环。这种激活上调能量代谢并促进表皮增生，为该疾病的病理生理学提供了新的见解。
我们的研究表明，胶带粘贴法可作为一种可行的LSC非侵入性诊断工具，亚油酸（LA）和AA可能作为该疾病的生物标志物。
