title: Dietary pulverized konjac glucomannan suppresses scratching behavior and skin inflammatory immune responses in NC/Nga mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Feeding with pulverized konjac glucomannan (PKGM) suppresses the development of eczema and hyper-IgE production in NC/Nga mice, a model of atopic dermatitis. This study aimed to examine the effects of PKGM on scratching behavior and skin inflammatory immune responses in NC/Nga mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-week-old NC/Nga mice were maintained for 8 or 9 weeks on diet containing PKGM. Scratching behavior and clinical symptoms were evaluated every 2 weeks. Effects of PKGM on cutaneous inflammation were evaluated by histopathological analysis. Local expression levels of substance P and proinflammatory cytokines were measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An increase in scratching behavior was evident from 6 weeks of age in control mice, but this symptom was dose-dependently inhibited in PKGM-fed mice. Continuous PKGM feeding then significantly inhibited eczematous skin lesions including hyperkeratosis, dermal mastocytosis and eosinophilia. Concomitantly, cutaneous overproductions of substance P, IL-10, IL-4, and TNF-alpha were all suppressed in PKGM-fed mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PKGM feeding markedly suppressed development of scratching behavior, substance P expression with mastocytosis, and skin inflammatory immune responses in NC/Nga mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Development, Nishikawa Rubber Co. Ltd., Hiroshima, Japan. onishi@nishikawa-rbr.co.jp
authors.forename: Nobukazu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Santo
authors.forename: Tsunehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aki
authors.forename: Seiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shigeta
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hide
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ono
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004423:Ear / Q000473:pathology; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007642:Keratosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D034701:Mastocytosis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011537:Pruritus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D008351:Mannans; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D013373:Substance P; C022901:(1-6)-alpha-glucomannan; D007073:Immunoglobulin E