Subject(s)
Benzoyl Peroxide/administration & dosage , Dermatologic Agents/administration & dosage , Hyperhidrosis/drug therapy , Hyperhidrosis/genetics , Keratoderma, Palmoplantar/drug therapy , Keratoderma, Palmoplantar/genetics , Adult , Codon, Nonsense , Humans , Hyperhidrosis/pathology , Japan , Keratoderma, Palmoplantar/pathology , Male , SerpinsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: It has been reported that the expression of neuropeptides (NPs), and the density and structure of peripheral nerves in atopic dermatitis (AD) are different from those in normal skin. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the role of NPs, in the development of AD with quantitative study of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the skin of AD-model mice. METHODS: We measured the NPs in the skin of mice (NC/Nga as AD-model mice, BALB/c and C57BL/6 as control) by enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay (ELISA). Peripheral nerve fibers and SP in the skin were stained by immunohistochemical staining, using anti-PGP9.5 antibody and anti-SP antibody. RESULTS: Under conventional condition, SP concentration in AD-like skin lesions of NC/Nga mice was higher than that in non-affected skin of the same mice. Under specific pathogen-free condition, SP concentration in the skin of NC/Nga mice was higher than that in the skin of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. In contrast, CGRP concentration in the skin lesions was lower than that in non-affected skin of NC/Nga mice. SP was detected not only in the nerve fibers in the dermis but also in mast cells in the inflammatory areas. CONCLUSIONS: The skin of NC/Nga mice contains more SP congenitally, and environmental factors may aggravate this abnormal condition. We hypothesize that increase of SP accompanied with a decrease of CGRP in the skin may play important roles in the pathogenesis and development of AD.
