title: A rodent model for allergic dermatitis induced by flea antigens.
abstract: There have been very few reports of experimentally induced animal models of allergic dermatitis, an immunologic disorder. This report describes the induction of histopathology confirmed allergic dermatitis in C57BL/6 mice along with the consistent clinical sign of alopecia following the administration of flea antigens emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). By comparing different strains of mice, routes of injection, types of adjuvants and different dosages of flea antigens, C57BL/6 mice were found to be most susceptible to flea antigens administered intramuscularly (i.m.) and subsequently developed dermatologic excoriations and local alopecia. The level of specific IgE reactive to flea antigens in C57BL/6 mice after the onset of clinical signs was significantly higher than such levels in mice without clinical signs, suggesting that flea antigen-specific IgE level can be correlated to the severity of allergic hyper-reaction. CD4(+) T lymphocytes and IL-4 rather than IL-10, or IFN-gamma were found to be the predominant cytokines associated with the clinical onset of allergic symptoms in C57BL/6 mice. Further, histopathologic analysis indicated that not only mast cells had infiltrated into the area of the skin lesion, but the damage was found to be at a stage where mast cells were degranulating causing considerable exacerbation of the local injury. In conclusion, this murine allergic dermatitis model induced by flea antigens may provide a useful means to evaluate vaccines or immunodulatory drugs; thus providing researchers with a tool to study allergy-related disorders and other parameters needed in the area of allergic investigations.
authors.affiliation: College of Biological Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Huali
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Ruiping
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: She
authors.forename: Yanxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Junpeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fengqiang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000662:veterinary; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D011897:Random Allocation; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000276:immunology*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D007073:Immunoglobulin E