Estradiol valerate/Drospirenone(Bayer Schering)

Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the pilosebaceous unit. Recent studies have demonstrated an increase number of acne cases in adult women. These cases are predominantly normoandrogenic and have some clinical differences when compared with the most common group, the adolescent. The local glandular metabolism converts some hormonal precursors to more active substances that increase the sebum production, leaving these areas more prone to increase the colonization to Propionibacterium Acnes (P. Acnes). Toll-like receptor 2, expressed by inflammatory cells play a crucial role in the innate immune response to this bacterium. Previous studies confirm that exist a reduced expression of CD1d by keratinocytes in acne lesion, what can be interpreted as a low antigen-present function. The influence of hormonal alteration in the sebaceous glands could modulate the expressions of TLR-2 and CD1d explaining the persistence of lesions in adult women. The change to more estrogenic metabolism, with use of specific contraceptive pills could normalize this immune-mediated inflammatory process.
Objective
To analyze how the peripheral androgen conversion can influence the toll-like receptor 2 and CD1d expression in women with inflammatory acne before and after 6 months of oral contraceptives with anti-androgen activity.