title: Efficacy of Astaxanthin for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis in a Murine Model.
abstract: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with various factors, including immunological abnormalities and exposure to allergens. Astaxanthin (AST) is a xanthophyll carotenoid that has recently been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory effects and to regulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Thus, we investigated whether AST could improve the dermatitis and pruritus in a murine model of AD using NC/Nga mice. In addition to a behavioral evaluation, the effects of AST on the AD were determined by the clinical skin severity score, serum IgE level, histological analyses of skin, and by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blotting analyses for the expression of inflammation-related factors. AST (100 mg/kg) or vehicle (olive oil) was orally administered once day and three times a week for 26 days. When compared with vehicle-treated group, the administration of AST significantly reduced the clinical skin severity score. In addition, the spontaneous scratching in AD model mice was reduced by AST administration. Moreover, the serum IgE level was markedly decreased by the oral administration of AST compared to that in vehicle-treated mice. The number of eosinophils, total and degranulated mast cells all significantly decreased in the skin of AST-treated mice compared with vehicle-treated mice. The mRNA and protein levels of eotaxin, MIF, IL-4, IL-5 and L-histidine decarboxylase were significantly decreased in the skin of AST-treated mice compared with vehicle-treated mice. These results suggest that AST improves the dermatitis and pruritus in AD via the regulation of the inflammatory effects and the expression of inflammatory cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshihisa
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsugunobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Andoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Toyama, Japan.|Department of Radiological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Mati Ur
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.affiliation: Division of Food Function and Chemistry, Research Institute for Production Development, Shimogamo-morimoto-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Sugitani, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadamichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D024341:Xanthophylls; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; C005948:astaxanthine