title: Development of dry skin in the NOA mouse under individual housing conditions: a potentially useful animal model for evaluating moisturizing effects.
abstract: In a previous study, we reported the development of grossly observable dry skin in all of the Naruto Research Institute Otsuka Atrichia (NOA) mice that were housed individually. In the present study, dermal physiological function tests were conducted and the usefulness of this dry skin model for evaluating the efficacy of topical moisturizers was assessed. As a result, we have confirmed a marked reduction in the water content of the stratum corneum in these animals. Therefore, the development of dry skin in the NOA mouse strain under individual housing conditions may be expected to serve as a useful animal model for evaluating topical moisturizers. Specifically, the water content of the stratum corneum was restored in proportion to the oil content of the ointment base used to treat the animals, and the moisturizing effects of urea were confirmed in animals treated with urea-containing ointment. In addition, when the animals that had been housed individually were returned to group housing conditions, the water content of the stratum corneum was restored, with a corresponding improvement in dry skin. This finding suggests that socio-psychological factors are involved in the etiology of dry skin in individually housed NOA mice.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Drug Safety and Metabolism, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc., Naruto, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Taizo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiomoto
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Momii
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004643:Emollients / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology; D004817:Epidermis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008812:Mice, Hairless; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009824:Ointments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004643:Emollients; D009824:Ointments; D014867:Water