Scientists Discover How Beta Blockers Can Cause Skin Inflammation

Beta-blockers are a medication used to treat high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases. However, in some individuals the administration of beta blockers can trigger skin conditions, or cause existing ones, such as psoriasis, to become worse. 

Scientists at the University of Bonn and Freie Universität Berlin may have figured out how beta-blockers cause inflammation. Through their research, they discovered that beta-blockers interfere with the breakdown of old and defective cell components, a process known as autophagy. Interference with this process then results in the cells releasing chemical messengers that contact the immune system. This then results in an immune reaction which can lead to inflammation.

There is a fat fat-soluble component in beta-blocker medicine called propranolol. Fat soluble substances are able to move through other fatty substances easily. The cell membrane is the outer layer of the cell, which protects the cell from the external environment. This membrane is fat rich, which allows propranolol to easily cross into the cell interior. Propranolol then begins to accumulate inside the cells. This is because whilst it is able to enter cells with ease, the scientists discovered that it is difficult for it to exit. The accumulation of propranolol inside the cell then disrupts the cell’s ability to breakdown old and defective cellular components. 

Disrupting the cellular autophagy process has also been linked to serious diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and dementia. However, as with all lab experiments, it is important to note that the results still have to be verified in living organisms before any conclusions can be drawn with certainty.