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[Decreased skin function may be a risk factor for metabolic syndrome.] [Article in Chinese]

LIU Xing-Xing, LI Da, LI Chun-Yan, ZHOU Shi-Sheng^*

Department of Physiology, Medical College； Key Laboratories of Biophysics of Liaoning Province, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China

Abstract

The metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, is closely related to environmental and lifestyle risk factors. Increasing evidence suggests that environmental risk factors may involve an increase in xenobiotic exposure, for example due to environmental toxins, medications, high meat intake, food additives and supplements; while lifestyle risk factors, such as sedentary lifestyles, may involve a decrease in the detoxification and elimination of xenobiotics. The skin, the body’s largest organ, plays a distinct role in the detoxification and elimination of xenobiotics and the body lipid homeostasis, which is affected by sedentary lifestyle and physical activity, as well as by ambient temperature. Thus, it seems that decreased skin biotransformation and excretion, for example due to low ambient temperature and sedentary lifestyle, may be an important risk factor for metabolic syndrome. This review aims to provide insight into the role of the skin in the development of metabolic syndrome.

Key words: skin; metabolic syndrome; xenobiotic; oxidative stress; insulin resistance

Received: 2011-07-27　　Accepted: 2012-03-05

Corresponding author: 周士胜　　E-mail: zhouss@ymail.com

Citing This Article：

LIU Xing-Xing, LI Da, LI Chun-Yan, ZHOU Shi-Sheng. [Decreased skin function may be a risk factor for metabolic syndrome.] [Article in Chinese]. Acta Physiol Sin 2012; 64 (3): 327-332 (in Chinese with English abstract).