title: Atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions with IgE hyperproduction and pruritus in KFRS4/Kyo rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rats showing spontaneous atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions were observed in the Kyoto Fancy Rat Stock 4 (KFRS4) strain breeding colony.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To establish the KFRS4 rat as a model of AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical symptoms of AD-like skin lesions were assessed by scoring the degree of dermatitis and examining scratching behavior. The transepidermal water loss was measured to evaluate skin barrier function. Cells infiltrating the skin lesions were identified using histological and immunohistological analyses. IgE and cytokine levels were measured to examine immune status. An ointment treatment experiment was carried out to characterize dermatitis in the KFRS4 rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dermatitis initially appeared around 4 months of age and rapidly worsened from 6 to 8 months of age. The skin lesions accompanied scratching behavior and were predominantly observed in females. The increased transepidermal water loss indicated skin barrier dysfunction. Extensive infiltration of eosinophils, mast cells and lymphocytes was observed in the skin lesions. The plasma IgE level increased in accord with increasing severity of dermatitis. The Th2 and Th17 cytokine mRNA levels were significantly higher in the skin-draining lymph nodes than those in the non-skin-draining lymph nodes. It was demonstrated that betamethasone improved the symptoms of dermatitis. These findings demonstrated that dermatitis in the KFRS4 rats closely resembled that seen in human AD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female KFRS4 rats have the potential to serve as an animal model of human AD.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. Electronic address: tkuramot@anim.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuramoto
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Mayuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokoe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yuri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishitani
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8531, Japan.
authors.forename: Miyuu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka 598-8531, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuwamura
authors.affiliation: Medical Innovation Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Shogoin-kawara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hiai
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Shogoin-kawara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kabashima
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Laboratory of Pharmacology, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1094, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Serikawa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D011537:Pruritus / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D001623:Betamethasone
keywords: Atopic dermatitis; Betamethasone; IgE; Pruritus; Rats