The role of chemerin, elafin, and visfatin in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis.

Atopic Dermatitis is a chronic skin condition characterized by inflammation and itching. It has a genetic component, but environmental factors also play a significant role. The immune system is overactive, leading to an abnormal inflammatory response. Literature data indicate that numerous proteins contribute to the development and progression of atopic dermatitis, like antimicrobial peptides, alarmins, autoantigens, cytokines, growth factors, and proteases. To synthesize current knowledge and identify the most promising contributors of AD pathogenesis a literature search was conducted using PubMed (1990-present), Google Scholar, and Embase, has been performed appropriate search terms. This narrative review summarizes the current knowledge on how elafin, chemerin, and nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (visfatin/NAMPT) contribute to the pathophysiology of skin inflammation in atopic dermatitis. Recent discoveries have highlighted the importance of these proteins as important players in the functioning of the epidermal barrier. Importantly, some proteins exert anti-inflammatory effects (e.g., elafin), some pro-inflammatory effects, such as visfatin/NAMPT or chemerin, which exhibits both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. This makes them intriguing candidates for modulating the complex inflammatory processes associated with atopic dermatitis. A deeper understanding of the role of these proteins may provide a basis for the development of appropriate treatments for atopic dermatitis. However, knowledge about the importance of these proteins in the pathological mechanisms of atopic dermatitis is still limited.