{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T00:13:56Z","timestamp":1782346436652,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]],"date-time":"2021-12-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1639612800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002839","name":"Charit\u00e9 \u2013 Universit\u00e4tsmedizin Berlin","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002839","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship trust, Bangladesh"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\"><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Xerosis cutis or dry skin is a highly prevalent dermatological disorder especially in the elderly and in patients with underlying health conditions. In the past decades, numerous molecular markers have been investigated for their association with the occurrence or severity of skin dryness. The aim of this review was to summarize the molecular markers used in xerosis cutis research and to describe possible associations with different dry skin etiologies.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec id=\"sec002\"><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>We conducted a systematic review of molecular markers of xerosis cutis caused by internal or systemic changes. References published between 1990 and September 2020 were searched using \u2018MEDLINE\u2019, \u2018EMBASE\u2019 and \u2018Biological abstracts\u2019 databases. Study results were summarized and analyzed descriptively. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO database (CRD42020214173).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec id=\"sec003\"><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>A total of 21 study reports describing 72 molecules were identified including lipids, natural moisturizing factors (NMFs), proteins including cytokines and metabolites or metabolic products. Most frequently reported markers were ceramides, total free fatty acids, triglycerides and selected components of NMFs. Thirty-one markers were reported only once. Although, associations of these molecular markers with skin dryness were described, reports of unclear and\/or no association were also frequent for nearly every marker.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec id=\"sec004\"><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>An unexpectedly high number of various molecules to quantify xerosis cutis was found. There is substantial heterogeneity regarding molecular marker selection, tissue sampling and laboratory analyses. Empirical evidence is also heterogeneous regarding possible associations with dry skin. Total free fatty acids, total ceramide, ceramide (NP), ceramide (NS), triglyceride, total free amino acids and serine seem to be relevant, but the association with dry skin is inconsistent. Although the quantification of molecular markers plays an important role in characterizing biological processes, pathogenic processes or pharmacologic responses, it is currently unclear which molecules work best in xerosis cutis.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0261253","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]],"date-time":"2021-12-16T18:31:01Z","timestamp":1639679461000},"page":"e0261253","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":31,"title":["Molecular characterization of xerosis cutis: A systematic review"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6369-3500","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ruhul","family":"Amin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Lechner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Annika","family":"Vogt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ulrike","family":"Blume-Peytavi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jan","family":"Kottner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,16]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0261253.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clindermatol.2010.07.005","article-title":"Dry skin in the elderly: complexities of a common problem","volume":"29","author":"EF White-Chu","year":"2011","journal-title":"Clin Dermatol"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0261253.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"226","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jtv.2018.07.001","article-title":"Dry skin in home care: A representative prevalence study","volume":"27","author":"A Lichterfeld-Kottner","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Tissue Viability"},{"key":"pone.0261253.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijnurstu.2017.05.011","article-title":"Dry skin and pressure ulcer risk: A multi-center cross-sectional prevalence study in German hospitals and nursing homes","volume":"73","author":"A Lechner","year":"2017","journal-title":"International Journal of Nursing Studies"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0261253.ref004","first-page":"203","article-title":"Abnormalities in stratum corneum structure, lipid composition, and desmosome degradation in soap-induced winter xerosis","volume":"45","author":"AV Rawlings","year":"1994","journal-title":"Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0261253.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"765","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02505294","article-title":"Stratum corneum lipids: the effect of ageing and the seasons","volume":"288","author":"J Rogers","year":"1996","journal-title":"Arch Dermatol Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0261253.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jtv.2016.04.001","article-title":"The epidemiology of skin conditions in the aged: a systematic review","volume":"26","author":"E Hahnel","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of tissue viability"},{"issue":"S7","key":"pone.0261253.ref007","first-page":"3","article-title":"Diagnosis and treatment of xerosis cutis\u2014a position paper","volume":"17","author":"M Augustin","year":"2019","journal-title":"JDDG\u2014Journal of the German Society of Dermatology"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0261253.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"555","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2004.08.039","article-title":"Estrogen and skin: the effects of estrogen, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy on the skin","volume":"53","author":"G Hall","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Am Acad Dermatol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0261253.ref009","first-page":"1","article-title":"Skin disorders in diabetes mellitus: an epidemiology and physiopathology review","volume":"8","author":"GMC de Macedo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Diabetology & metabolic syndrome"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0261253.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"466","DOI":"10.1124\/mol.110.070862","article-title":"Off-target serine\/threonine kinase 10 inhibition by erlotinib enhances lymphocytic activity leading to severe skin disorders","volume":"80","author":"N Yamamoto","year":"2011","journal-title":"Molecular pharmacology"},{"key":"pone.0261253.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1396-0296.2004.04S1005.x","article-title":"Moisturization and skin barrier function","volume":"17","author":"A Rawlings","year":"2004","journal-title":"Dermatologic therapy"},{"key":"pone.0261253.ref012","first-page":"111","article-title":"Senile xerosis: functional, morphological, and biochemical studies","volume":"1","author":"M. 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