ABSTRACT
Aim To research the effect of gender on immune function and keratinocyte damage in imiquimod(IMQ)induced psoriasis mice.Methods IMQ-induced psoriasis mice were freely divided into female and male model groups, and female and male normal groups were set up smeared with an equal amount of petroleum.PASI score and HE staining were used to evaluate skin lesion and pathology; Western blot and immunity fluorescence were used to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), Ki67, keratin 1(K1), keratin 10(K10), and involucrin in skin lesions; spleen index of mice was calculated; immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CD4, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17 in skin and spleen; flow cytometry was used to detect the changes of Th1 and Th17 cell subsets in spleen.Results Compared with female and male normal groups, PASI score of female and male model groups increased, skin lesions were abnormally thickened and differentiated, the level of PCNA and Ki67, the spleen index, the Th1 and Th17 cell subsets in the spleen both increased, K1, K10, and involucrin decreased, the levels of CD4, IFN-γ, IL-17 in skin lesions and spleen were elevated, but the level of IL-4 showed the opposite trend.There was no statistical difference in the above indicators between the female and male model groups.Conclusion Gender has no effect on the abnormal activation of T cell immune function and the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes in psoriasis-like mice induced by IMQ.