title: Oral administration of β-carotene or lycopene prevents atopic dermatitis-like dermatitis in HR-1 mice.
abstract: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing eczematous skin disease. Certain populations of patients are resistant to standard therapies with topical steroids and/or calcineurin inhibitors, and require systemic medication, such as immunosuppressants. Recently, several reports have shed light on the anti-allergic effects of carotenoids. Therefore, we investigated the effect of p.o. administration of β-carotene or lycopene on AD-like symptoms of HR-1 hairless mice fed with a low zinc/magnesium diet. Mice were divided into four groups: (i) fed with a standard diet (Co group); (ii) low zinc/magnesium diet (HR group); (iii) low zinc/magnesium and β-carotene diet (HR-C group); and (iv) low zinc/magnesium and lycopene diet (HR-L group). They were then fed these diets for 8 weeks. Severities of dermatitis were assessed by their appearance, and histopathological and hematological observations. Mice in the HR group developed AD-like dermatitis both clinically and histologically. HR-C and HR-L group mice also developed xerosis and wrinkle-like skin changes, but they were milder than those of HR group mice. Histological analysis revealed that epidermis thickening and inflammatory cell infiltration in the skin of the HR-C and HR-L groups were both statistically less than those of the HR group. The concentration of thymus and activation regulated chemokine in the skin of the HR-L group and the concentration of CCL27 in the skin of the HR-C group were significantly lower than those of the HR group, respectively. In conclusion, p.o. administration of β-carotene or lycopene prevents AD-like symptoms in association with a suppression of T-helper 2 chemokines in a murine model. Ingestion of carotenoids may be beneficial for patients with AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiragun
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiragun
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Ikumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oseto
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuhki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yanase
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Innovation Division, Kagome, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okame
authors.affiliation: Production and Purchasing Division, Kagome, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Integrated Health Sciences, Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. ed1h-w1de-road@hiroshima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hide
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054425:Chemokine CCL27 / Q000378:metabolism; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000077276:Lycopene; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008812:Mice, Hairless; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; C119538:Ccl27a protein, mouse; D054425:Chemokine CCL27; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D000077276:Lycopene
keywords: 
  thymus and activation regulated chemokine
  ; CCL27; atopic dermatitis; lycopene; β-carotene