Neue erkenntnisse zur pathogenese der acne inversa

Acne inversa is triggered by tobacco-smoking. Nicotine acts as a specific ligand on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). In human skin, the highest density of AChR and the highest amount of ACh can be found periinfundibularly, especially in lesions of acne inversa. We were able to detect subtypes of nAChR on which nicotine acts as an agonist - and such on which it acts as an antagonist. We could demonstrate that nicotine influences basic pathomechanisms of acne inversa via AChR both in vitro and in vivo.