Acne is a common disease affecting the majority of young people. The inflammation in the sebaceous gland plays a major role in the pathogenesis of acne. Lipoxygenases form a family of lipid peroxidising enzymes. Among lipoxygenases, the functions of 5-lipoxygenase are well understood thanks to the implication of leukotrienes. Leukotriene B4 is the most potent pro-inflammatory mediator. We demonstrate that sebocytes, cells full of lipids, express both 5- and 15-lipoxygenase. Moreover leukotriene B4 as well pro-inflammatory cytokines are released by sebocytes after lipoxygenase activation. Human sebocytes possess the enzyme machinery to produce leukotriene B4. A reduction of leukotriene B4 seems to be effective in acne skin lesions and thereafter able to anameliorate acne.
