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The Initial Step in The "Atopic March"

Hello, I am a postdoctoral researcher named Zhikun Zhang working now in department of dermatology in University of Pennsylvania in USA. I notice your website pressed the scientific news on "Researchers Discover Why Eczema Often Leads to Asthma". http://newsblaze.com/story/2009051817390600001.wi/topstory.html.

Just this finding is also reported by my study. Here is the report on my publication which is similar with the finding on Plos Biology from Journal of Investigative Dermatology http://www.nature.com/jid/journal/v129/n5/full/jid200969a.html "One step in the atopic march Because atopic dermatitis (AD) often precedes the development of other atopic disorders such as asthma and allergic rhinitis, it may be considered the initial step in the "atopic march."

Expression of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in keratinocytes is necessary and sufficient to trigger AD inflammation. Zhang and colleagues employed a mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma to determine whether TSLP-induced AD is associated with asthma occurrence.

Following induction of AD with MC903 (calcipotriol), mice exposed to the OVA experimental asthma protocol exhibited TSLP induction in keratinocytes, AD-like skin inflammation, and an aggravated allergenic asthmatic phenotype.

TSLP production by keratinocytes was necessary for this aggravation of OVA-induced asthma following MC903 treatment. Interestingly, epidermal TSLP production during the allergen sensitization period aggravated allergic inflammation in the airway, despite the fact that the AD had resolved and TSLP levels were again normal at the time of allergen challenge. Thus, overproduction of TSLP in AD patients' skin may be viewed as a risk factor for allergic airway inflammation. (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:1536-41, 2009)"

What I am worried about is that your report is not so subjective and complete. This news didn't mention my findings on PNAS this year. I don't know whether you can modify that page and better it.

Thank you very much in advance and look forward to your reply to my email address, zhikunzh@mail.med.upenn.edu.

Merci Zhikun Zhang Upenn