Sebaceous lipogenesis in human skin. Variability with age and with severity of acne.

Lipogenesis from [14C] glucose was measured in skin biopsies from the shoulder-blade region of forty-two male subjects. In the acne age range, dermal lipogenesis showed an upward trend with increasing severity of acne; a similar trend was found in forehead sebum excretion rate, but no correlation was obvious between dermal lipogenesis (back) and sebum secretion rate (forehead) in the same subject. In older subjects, dermal lipogenesis was significantly increased in those with a past history of severe acne. At high rates of dermal lipogenesis there was a small but significant increase in wax ester labelling relative to triglyceride and squalene. No increase was found in squalene labelling relative to other lipids, either with increasing lipogenic rate or in severe acne. Dermal and epidermal lipogenesis rates showed no correlation with age. In dermis, however, there was a decrease in wax ester labelling relative to triglyceride, and a marked decrease in squalene labelling relative to both triglyceride and wax esters, with increasing age.