Sebaceous Lipids

Chapter
First Online:

Abstract

Skin is protected by a layer of lipids, of both sebaceous and keratinocyte origin, which cover the surface of the skin. Different compositions of surface lipids have been reported depending on the method of sampling. Lipids produced by the epidermal cells are usually less per area in regions rich in sebaceous glands. The holocrine nature of the sebaceous gland will eventually result that the sebum will eventually coat the surface of the skin and the fur. The sebaceous lipids are primarily nonpolar lipids as triglycerides, wax esters, and squalene, while the epidermal lipids consist of ceramides, free-fatty acids, and cholesterol in almost equimolar concentrations. The composition of the sebaceous lipids manifests uniqueness and an intriguing biology exclusive to this gland. Elevated sebum excretion is a major factor involved in the pathophysiology of acne, therefore, an attempt to decode and elucidate the roles that these unique lipids have on normal skin functions and acne is imperative.

Keywords

Lipid Sebaceous Skin Fatty acid Desaturase Wax Squalene Ceramide 

Abbreviations

KO

Knock out

SC

Stratum corneum

VLCFA

Very-long-chain fatty acids

This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. Cases S, Smith SJ, Zheng YW, Myers HM, Lear SR, Sande E, Novak S, Collins C, Welch CB, Lusis AJ, Erickson SK, Farese RV Jr. Identification of a gene encoding an acyl CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase, a key enzyme in triacylglycerol synthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998;95:13018–23.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Chen W, Kelly MA, Opitz-Araya X, Thomas RE, Low MJ, Cone RD. Exocrine gland dysfunction in MC5-R-deficient mice: evidence for coordinated regulation of exocrine gland function by melanocortin peptides. Cell. 1997;91(6):789–98.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Chen HC, Smith SJ, Tow B, Elias PM, Farese RV Jr. Leptin modulates the effects of acyl CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase deficiency on murine fur and sebaceous glands. J Clin Invest. 2002;109:175–81.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Cheng JB, Russell DW. Mammalian wax biosynthesis. II. Expression cloning of wax synthase cDNAs encoding a member of the acyltransferase enzyme family. J Biol Chem. 2004;279(36):37798–807.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Chiba K, Yoshizawa K, Makino I, Kawakami K, Onoue M. Comedogenicity of squalene monohydroperoxide in the skin after topical application. J Toxicol Sci. 2000;25(2):77–83.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Cunliffe WJ. Acne. London: Martin Dunitz; 1989.Google Scholar
  7. Downing DT, Strauss JS, Pochi PE. Variability in the chemical composition of human skin surface lipids. J Invest Dermatol. 1969;53(5):322–7.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Downing DT, Stewart ME, Wertz PW, Strauss JS. Essential fatty acids and acne. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1986;14(2 Pt 1):221–5.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Downing DT, Stewart ME, Strauss JS. Changes in sebum secretion and the sebaceous gland. Clin Geriatr Med. 1989;5:109–14.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  10. Drake DR, Brogden KA, Dawson DV, Wertz PW. Thematic review series: skin lipids. Antimicrobial lipids at the skin surface. J Lipid Res. 2008;49(1):4–11.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Elias PM, Feingold KR. Lipids and the epidermal water barrier: metabolism, regulation, and pathophysiology. Semin Dermatol. 1992;11(2):176–82.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  12. Fluhr JW, Mao-Qiang M, Brown BE, Wertz PW, Crumrine D, Sundberg JP, Feingold KR, Elias PM. Glycerol regulates stratum corneum hydration in sebaceous gland deficient (asebia) mice. J Invest Dermatol. 2003;120(5):728–37.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Fu Z, Sinclair AJ. Increased alpha-linolenic acid intake increases tissue alpha-linolenic acid content and apparent oxidation with little effect on tissue docosahexaenoic acid in the guinea pig. Lipids. 2000;35(4):395–400.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Fu Z, Attar-Bashi NM, Sinclair AJ. 1-14C-linoleic acid distribution in various tissue lipids of guinea pigs following an oral dose. Lipids. 2001;36(3):255–60.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Fu G, et al. Committed differentiation of hair follicle bulge cells into sebocytes: an in vitro study. Int J Dermatol. 2010;49(2):135–40.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Ge L, Gordon JS, Hsuan C, Stenn K, Prouty SM. Identification of the delta-6 desaturase of human sebaceous glands: expression and enzyme activity. J Invest Dermatol. 2003;120(5):707–14.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Georgel P, Crozat K, Lauth X, Makrantonaki E, Seltmann H, Sovath S, Hoebe K, Du X, Rutschmann S, Jiang Z, Bigby T, Nizet V, Zouboulis CC, Beutler B. A toll-like receptor 2-responsive lipid effector pathway protects mammals against skin infections with gram-positive bacteria. Infect Immun. 2005;73(8):4512–21.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Greene RS, Downing DT, Pochi PE, Strauss JS. Anatomical variation in the amount and composition of human skin surface lipid. J Invest Dermatol. 1970;54(3):240–7.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Haahti E, Horning EC. Isolation and characterization of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and alcohols of human skin surface lipids. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1963;15:73–8.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Headington JT. Cicatricial alopecia. Dermatol Clin. 1996;14:773–82.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Jacobsen E, Billings JK, Frantz RA, Kinney CK, Stewart ME, Downing DT. Age-related changes in sebaceous wax ester secretion rates in men and women. J Invest Dermatol. 1985;85:483–5.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. James AT, Wheatley VR. Studies of sebum. 6. The determination of the component fatty acids of human forearm sebum by gas-liquid chromatography. Biochem J. 1956;63(2):269–73.PubMedCentralPubMedGoogle Scholar
  23. Kligman AM, Wheatley VR, Mills OH. Comedogenicity of human sebum. Arch Dermatol. 1970;102(3):267–75.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Knags H. Cell biology of the pilosebaceous unit. In: Webster GF, Rawlings AV, editors. Acne and its therapy. New York: Informa Healthcare; 2007. pp. 9–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Koch K, Dommisse A, Barthlott W, Gorb SN. The use of plant waxes as templates for micro- and nanopatterning of surfaces. Acta Biomater. 2007;3(6):905–9.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Kolattukudy PE. Cutn, suberin and waxes. In: Stumpf PK, editor. Comprehensive biochemistry of plants. Vol. IV. London: Academic; 1980. pp. 600–45.Google Scholar
  27. Lardizabal KD, Metz JG, Sakamoto T, Hutton WC, Pollard MR, Lassner MW. Purification of a jojoba embryo wax synthase, cloning of its cDNA, and production of high levels of wax in seeds of transgenic arabidopsis. Plant Physiol. 2000;122(3):645–55.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Lin MH, Hsu FF, Miner JH. Requirement of fatty acid transport protein 4 for development, maturation, and function of sebaceous glands in a mouse model of ichthyosis prematurity syndrome. J Biol Chem. 2013;288(6):3964–76.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. Maier H, Meixner M, Hartmann D, Sandhoff R, Wang-Eckhardt L, Zöller I, Gieselmann V, Eckhardt M. Normal fur development and sebum production depends on fatty acid 2-hydroxylase expression in sebaceous glands. J Biol Chem. 2011;286(29):25922–34.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Miyazaki M, Man WC, Ntambi JM. Targeted disruption of stearoyl-CoA desaturase1 gene in mice causes atrophy of sebaceous and meibomian glands and depletion of wax esters in the eyelid. J Nutr. 2001;131(9):2260–8.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  31. Miyazaki M, Dobrzyn A, Elias PM, Ntambi JM. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-2 gene expression is required for lipid synthesis during early skin and liver development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005;102(35):12501–6.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. Motoyoshi K. Enhanced comedo formation in rabbit ear skin by squalene and oleic acid peroxides. Br J Dermatol. 1983;109(2):191–8.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. Nakahigashi K, et al. PGD2 induces eotaxin-3 via PPARgamma from sebocytes: a possible pathogenesis of eosinophilic pustular folliculitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012;129(2):536–43.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. Nicolaides N. The structures of the branched fatty acids in the wax esters of vernix caseosa. Lipids. 1971;6(12):901–5.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Nicolaides N. Skin lipids: their biochemical uniqueness. Science. 1974;186(4158):19–26. (Review).PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Nicolaides N, Ansari MN. Fatty acids of unusual double-bond positions and chain lengths found in rat skin surface lipids. Lipids. 1968;3(5):403–10.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. Niemann C, Horsley V. Development and homeostasis of the sebaceous gland. Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2012;23(8):928–36.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. Nikkari T. Comparative chemistry of sebum. J Invest Dermatol. 1974;62:257–67.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. Ohsawa K, Watanabe T, Matsukawa R, Yoshimura Y, Imaeda K. The possible role of squalene and its peroxide of the sebum in the occurrence of sunburn and protection from the damage caused by U.V. irradiation. J Toxicol Sci. 1984;9(2):151–9.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  40. Pappas A, Anthonavage M, Gordon JS. Metabolic fate and selective utilization of major fatty acids in human sebaceous gland. J Invest Dermatol. 2002;118(1):164–71.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  41. Ruge F, et al. Delineating immune-mediated mechanisms underlying hair follicle destruction in the mouse mutant defolliculated. J Invest Dermatol. 2011;131(3):572–9.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. Schmuth M, Ortegon AM, Mao-Qiang M, Elias PM, Feingold KR, Stahl A. Differential expression of fatty acid transport proteins in epidermis and skin appendages. J Invest Dermatol. 2005;125(6):1174–81.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  43. Smith KR, Thiboutot DM. Sebaceous gland lipids: friend or foe? J Lipid Res. 2008;49(2):271–81.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  44. Smith RN, Braue A, Varigos GA, Mann NJ. The effect of a low glycemic load diet on acne vulgaris and the fatty acid composition of skin surface triglycerides. J Dermatol Sci. 2008;50(1):41–52.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  45. Stewart ME. Sebaceous glands lipids. Semin Dermatol. 1992;11:100–5.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  46. Stewart ME, Downing DT. Chemistry and function of mammalian sebaceous lipids. Adv Lipid Res. 1991;24:263–301.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  47. Stewart ME, Quinn MA, Downing DT. Variability in the fatty acid composition of wax esters from vernix caseosa and its possible relation to sebaceous gland activity. J Invest Dermatol. 1982;78(4):291–5.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  48. Stone SJ, Myers HM, Watkins SM, Brown BE, Feingold KR, Elias PM, Farese RV Jr. Lipopenia and skin barrier abnormalities in DGAT2-deficient mice. J Biol Chem. 2004;279(12):11767–76.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  49. Strauss JS, Downing DT, Ebling JF, Stewart ME. Sebaceous glands. In: Goldsmith LA, editor. Physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of the skin. New York: Oxford University Press; 1991. pp. 712–40.Google Scholar
  50. Sundberg JP. The asebia (ab, ab1) mutations, chromosome 19. In: Sundberg JP, editor. Handbook of mouse mutations with skin and hair abnormlities. Bar Harbor: CRC Press; 1994. pp. 171–8.Google Scholar
  51. Thiboutot D. Regulation of human sebaceous glands. J Invest Dermatol. 2004;123:1–12.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  52. Thiele JJ, Weber SU, Packer L. Sebaceous gland secretion is a major physiologic route of vitamin E delivery to skin. J Invest Dermatol. 1999;113(6):1006–10.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  53. Turkish AR, Sturley SL. The genetics of neutral lipid biosynthesis: an evolutionary perspective. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2009;297(1):E19–27.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  54. Vasireddy V, Uchida Y, Salem N Jr, Kim SY, Mandal MN, Reddy GB, Bodepudi R, Alderson NL, Brown JC, Hama H, Dlugosz A, Elias PM, Holleran WM, Ayyagari R. Loss of functional ELOVL4 depletes very long-chain fatty acids (> or = C28) and the unique omega-O-acylceramides in skin leading to neonatal death. Hum Mol Genet. 2007;16(5):471–82.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  55. Wertz PW. Sebum secretions and acne. In: Webster GF, Rawlings AV, editors. Acne and its therapy. New York: Informa Healthcare; 2007. pp. 37–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  56. Westerberg R, Tvrdik P, Undén AB, Månsson JE, Norlén L, Jakobsson A, Holleran WH, Elias PM, Asadi A, Flodby P, Toftgård R, Capecchi MR, Jacobsson A. Role for ELOVL3 and fatty acid chain length in development of hair and skin function. J Biol Chem. 2004;279(7):5621–9.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  57. Wille JJ, Kydonieus A. Palmitoleic acid isomer (C16:1delta6) in human skin sebum is effective against gram-positive bacteria. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol. 2003;16(3):176–87.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  58. Yen CL, Monetti M, Burri BJ, Farese RV Jr. The triacylglycerol synthesis enzyme DGAT1 also catalyzes the synthesis of diacylglycerols, waxes, and retinyl esters. J Lipid Res. 2005a;46(7):1502–11.Google Scholar
  59. Yen CL, Brown CH 4th, Monetti M, Farese RV Jr. A human skin multifunctional O-acyltransferase that catalyzes the synthesis of acylglycerols, waxes, and retinyl esters. J Lipid Res. 2005b;46(11):2388–97.Google Scholar
  60. Zhang Q, et al. Involvement of PPARgamma in oxidative stress-mediated prostaglandin E(2) production in SZ95 human sebaceous gland cells. J Invest Dermatol. 2006;126(1):42–8.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  61. Zheng Y, Eilertsen KJ, Ge L, Zhang L, Sundberg JP, Prouty SM, Stenn KS, Parimoo S. Scd1 is expressed in sebaceous glands and is disrupted in the asebia mouse. Nat Genet. 1999;23:268–70.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  62. Zouboulis CC. Acne and sebaceous gland function. Clin Dermatol. 2004;22:360–6.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.The Johnson & Johnson Skin Research CenterCPPW, a division of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc.SkillmanUSA

Personalised recommendations