title: Scratching of their skin by NC/Nga mice leads to development of dermatitis.
abstract: Effects of scratching behavior on dermatitis, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and serum IgE concentrations were examined in NC/Nga (NC) mice with toenails (WIT) and without toenails (WOT). The first study was a preventive treatment done to cut off hind toenails before dermatitis induction and the second study was a therapeutic treatment by cutting off hind toenails of NC mice with severe dermatitis. In the preventive study, scratching behavior significantly increased in both WIT and WOT after dermatitis induction. Skin severity score, TEWL, number of mast cells and serum IgE concentration statistically increased in WIT but not in WOT after dermatitis induction. Histological changes coincided with the skin severity score in WIT, while no changes were observed in WOT. In the therapeutic study, skin severity score in WOT but not in WIT statistically decreased after cutting off the hind toenails. TEWL and numbers of mast cells in WOT were statistically lower compared with findings in WIT. Thus scratching up the skin with toenails seemed to be the most important factor leading to dermatitis in NC mice.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Laboratory, Medicinal Research Laboratories, Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 1-403, Yoshino-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama-city, Saitama 331-9530, Japan. yuki.hashimoto@po.rd.taisho.co.jp
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Iwao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Takanobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakaike
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006614:Hindlimb; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011537:Pruritus / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible / Q000502:physiology; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E