Filaggrin: Basic Science, Epidemiology, Clinical Aspects and Management Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2014 Edition

Filaggrin proteins are expressed in several human tissues, including the skin, oral mucosa, conjunctivae, esophagus, cervix, and testes. While filaggrin guarantees both structural and functional normality of the human epidermis, its role in other tissues is largely unknown. Epidermal deficiency of filaggrin causes dry and scaly skin, but also strongly increases the risk of skin diseases, in particular ichthyosis vulgaris and atopic dermatitis. Importantly, the risk of related asthma, hay fever, and food allergy is also increased although filaggrin is not expressed in the airways and gastrointestinal tract.

Common FLG mutations, leading to reduced filaggrin expression, have mainly been identified in Europeans and Asians, reaching a prevalence of 5-10%. Even in the absence of atopic dermatitis, the skin of individuals with FLG mutations differs fundamentally from normal skin, for example by generating more vitamin D and allowing chemicals and allergens to more widely penetrate across the stratum corneum.

This textbook provides comprehensive and detailed coverage of the effects of filaggrin and filaggrin gene (FLG) mutations in health and disease (cutaneous and non-cutaneous) and also discusses the basic science, epidemiology, management, and future research areas. It will be of value to scientists and clinicians from different specialties.

Jacob Thyssen has worked in Dermatology for 10 years and holds PhD and DmSci degrees from the University of Copenhagen. He has published 190 articles and 10 book chapters. He has received international awards for his research, including the LEO Pharma Research Foundation for best investigator <45 years in the Nordic countries. His research has focused on dermatitis, allergies, and the skin barrier. He has been a research fellow in the USA, visiting Harvard Medical School and UCSF. He is a regular speaker at international meetings. Jacob Thyssen enjoys treating patients with dermatitis on a daily basis in the Gentofte Clinic in Copenhagen, Denmark.