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Kojima G, Komiya E, Honda K, Kaneko T, Suga Y, Tominaga M, Takamori K. Model of Chronic Itch in Aged Mice: Beneficial Effects of Drugs Affecting Descending Modulatory Systems. Acta Derm Venereol 2024; 104:adv39950. [PMID: 38751178 PMCID: PMC11110811 DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v104.39950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Pruritus in the elderly, particularly those cases without skin dryness or other identifiable causes, makes treatment challenging due to the lack of evidence regarding the therapeutic effects of antipruritics. This study proposes an age-related alloknesis mouse model for an evaluation system for such cases, and aimed to investigate the effectiveness and mechanisms of action of several drugs commonly used as antipruritics in Japan, utilizing this model. Mice 69-80 weeks old were used as aged mice, and the level of mechanical alloknesis was counted as the number of scratching behaviours in response to innocuous stimuli. Bepotastine, neurotropin, pregabalin, baricitinib, and abrocitinib were used as antipruritics, and yohimbine and methysergide as inhibitors of the descending inhibitory pathway. The findings suggest that mechanical alloknesis in aged mice is a suitable animal model for assessing pruritus in the elderly without xerosis, and pregabalin, neurotropin, baricitinib, and abrocitinib may be effective antipruritics in the elderly through activating both the noradrenergic and serotonergic descending inhibitory pathways. These findings may be useful for the selection of antipruritics for pruritus in the elderly without skin lesions or dryness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Go Kojima
- Juntendo Itch Research Center (JIRC), Institute for Environmental and Gender- Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan; Department of Dermatology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Eriko Komiya
- Juntendo Itch Research Center (JIRC), Institute for Environmental and Gender- Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kotaro Honda
- Juntendo Itch Research Center (JIRC), Institute for Environmental and Gender- Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takahide Kaneko
- Department of Dermatology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yasushi Suga
- Department of Dermatology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Mitsutoshi Tominaga
- Juntendo Itch Research Center (JIRC), Institute for Environmental and Gender- Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kenji Takamori
- Juntendo Itch Research Center (JIRC), Institute for Environmental and Gender- Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan; Department of Dermatology, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
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Braz JM, Hamel K, Craik V, Rodriguez-Rosado S, Bhardwaj K, Jewell M, Bieri G, Villeda SA, Basbaum AI. Pain and Itch Processing in Aged Mice. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:53-63. [PMID: 37482234 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Most reports agree that aging negatively impacts pain processing and that the prevalence of chronic pain increases significantly with age. To improve current therapies, it is critical that aged animals be included in preclinical studies. Here we compared sensitivities to pain and itch-provoking stimuli in naïve and injured young and aged mice. Surprisingly, we found that in the absence of injury, aged male and female mice are significantly less responsive to mechanical stimuli and, in females, also to noxious thermal (heat) stimuli. In both older male and female mice, compared to younger (6-month-old mice), we also recorded reduced pruritogen-evoked scratching. On the other hand, after nerve injury, aged mice nevertheless developed significant mechanical hypersensitivity. Interestingly, however, and in contrast to young mice, aged mice developed both ipsilateral and contralateral postinjury mechanical allodynia. In a parallel immunohistochemical analysis of microglial and astrocyte markers, we found that the ipsilateral to the contralateral ratio of nerve injury-induced expression decreased with age. That observation is consistent with our finding of contralateral hypersensitivity after nerve injury in the aged but not the young mice. We conclude that aging has opposite effects on baseline versus postinjury pain and itch processing. PERSPECTIVE: Aged male and female mice (22-24 months) are less sensitive to mechanical, thermal (heat), and itch-provoking stimuli than are younger mice (6 months).
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Affiliation(s)
- João M Braz
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Katherine Hamel
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Veronica Craik
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Sian Rodriguez-Rosado
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Karnika Bhardwaj
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Madison Jewell
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Gregor Bieri
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Saul A Villeda
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Allan I Basbaum
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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Huang M, Hua N, Zhuang S, Fang Q, Shang J, Wang Z, Tao X, Niu J, Li X, Yu P, Yang W. Cux1+ proliferative basal cells promote epidermal hyperplasia in chronic dry skin disease identified by single-cell RNA transcriptomics. J Pharm Anal 2023; 13:745-759. [PMID: 37577389 PMCID: PMC10422139 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathological dry skin is a disturbing and intractable healthcare burden, characterized by epithelial hyperplasia and severe itch. Atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis models with complications of dry skin have been studied using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). However, scRNA-seq analysis of the dry skin mouse model (acetone/ether/water (AEW)-treated model) is still lacking. Here, we used scRNA-seq and in situ hybridization to identify a novel proliferative basal cell (PBC) state that exclusively expresses transcription factor CUT-like homeobox 1 (Cux1). Further in vitro study demonstrated that Cux1 is vital for keratinocyte proliferation by regulating a series of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclins. Clinically, Cux1+ PBCs were increased in patients with psoriasis, suggesting that Cux1+ PBCs play an important part in epidermal hyperplasia. This study presents a systematic knowledge of the transcriptomic changes in a chronic dry skin mouse model, as well as a potential therapeutic target against dry skin-related dermatoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhua Huang
- Department of Biophysics, and Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Ning Hua
- Department of Biophysics, and Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Siyi Zhuang
- Department of Biophysics, and Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Qiuyuan Fang
- Department of Biophysics, and Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Jiangming Shang
- Department of Biophysics, and Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Allergy Center, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Xiaohua Tao
- Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Jianguo Niu
- Key Laboratory of Craniocerebral Diseases of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750000, China
| | - Xiangyao Li
- Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Peilin Yu
- Department of Toxicology, and Department of Medical Oncology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Biophysics, and Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Allergy Center, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310000, China
- MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
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Upregulation of DRG protein TMEM100 facilitates dry-skin-induced pruritus by enhancing TRPA1 channel function. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2022; 55:404-416. [PMID: 36514220 PMCID: PMC10160222 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2022180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The dry skin tortures numerous patients with severe itch. The transient receptor potential cation channel V member 1 (TRPV1) and A member 1 (TRPA1) are two essential receptors for peripheral neural coding of itch sensory, mediating histaminergic and nonhistaminergic itch separately. In the dorsal root ganglion, transmembrane protein 100 (TMEM100) is structurally related to both TRPV1 and TRPA1 receptors, but the exact role of TMEM100 in itch sensory coding is still unknown. Here, in this study, we find that TMEM100 + DRG neurons account for the majority of activated neurons in an acetone-ether-water (AEW)-induced dry skin itch model, and some TMEM100 + DRG neurons are colocalized with both TRPA1 and the chloroquine-related Mrgpr itch receptor family. Both the expression and function of TRPA1 channels, but not TRPV1 channels, are upregulated in the AEW model, and specific DRG Tmem100 gene knockdown alleviates AEW-induced itch and rescues the expression and functional changes of TRPA1. Our results strongly suggest that TMEM100 protein in DRG is the main facilitating factor for dry-skin-related chronic itch, and specific suppression of TMEM100 in DRG could be a novel effective treatment strategy for patients who suffer from dry skin-induced itch.
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Cytokines and chemokines modulation of itch. Neuroscience 2022; 495:74-85. [PMID: 35660453 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Itch (pruritus) is a common cutaneous symptom widely associated with many skin complaints, and chronic itch can be a severe clinical problem. The onset and perpetuation of itch are linked to cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-31, IL-4, IL-13, IL-33, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and chemokines, such as chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10. This review highlights research that has attempted to determine the attributes of various cytokines and chemokines concerning the development and modulation of itch. Through such research, clinical approaches targeting cytokines and/or chemokines may arise, which may further the development of itch therapeutics.
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Fan JJ, Gao B, Song AQ, Zhu YJ, Zhou J, Li WZ, Yin YY, Wu WN. Spinal cord NLRP1 inflammasome contributes to dry skin induced chronic itch in mice. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:122. [PMID: 32312281 PMCID: PMC7168883 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01807-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dry skin itch is one of the most common skin diseases and elderly people are believed to be particularly prone to it. The inflammasome has been suggested to play an important role in chronic inflammatory disorders including inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. However, little is known about the role of NLRP1 inflammasome in dry skin-induced chronic itch. METHODS Dry skin-induced chronic itch model was established by acetone-ether-water (AEW) treatment. Spontaneous scratching behavior was recorded by video monitoring. The expression of nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 1 (NLRP1) inflammasome complexes, transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1), and the level of inflammatory cytokines were determined by western blot, quantitative real-time PCR, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Nlrp1a knockdown was performed by an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector containing Nlrp1a-shRNA-eGFP infusion. H.E. staining was used to evaluate skin lesion. RESULTS AEW treatment triggers spontaneous scratching and significantly increases the expression of NLRP1, ASC, and caspase-1 and the levels of IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α in the spinal cord and the skin of mice. Spinal cord Nlrp1a knockdown prevents AEW-induced NLRP1 inflammasome assembly, TRPV1 channel activation, and spontaneous scratching behavior. Capsazepine, a specific antagonist of TRPV1, can also inhibit AEW-induced inflammatory response and scratching behavior. Furthermore, elderly mice and female mice exhibited more significant AEW-induced scratching behavior than young mice and male mice, respectively. Interestingly, AEW-induced increases in the expression of NLRP1 inflammasome complex and the levels of inflammatory cytokines were more remarkable in elderly mice and female mice than in young mice and male mice, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Spinal cord NLRP1 inflammasome-mediated inflammatory response contributes to dry skin-induced chronic itch by TRPV1 channel, and it is also involved in age and sex differences of chronic itch. Inhibition of NLRP1 inflammasome may offer a new therapy for dry skin itch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Juan Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Gao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People's Republic of China
| | - Ao-Qi Song
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People's Republic of China
| | - Ya-Jing Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Xi'an Chest Hospital, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, 710100, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, Xi'an Chest Hospital, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, 710100, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Zu Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Yan Yin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Ning Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Aman N, Rauf K, Khan SA, Tokhi A, Rehman NU, Yameen MA. Effect of commercial and green synthesized ZnO NPs in murine model of chloroquine-induced pruritus. Int J Nanomedicine 2019; 14:3103-3110. [PMID: 31118625 PMCID: PMC6503187 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s202256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on chloroquine (CQ)-induced itching, and overall behavior of mice after oral administration of ZnO NPs of various sizes and doses. Background: With the wide-spread use of ZnO NPs in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, concerns about their safety and toxicity are also increasing. Multiple aspects of ZnO NPs regarding cytotoxicity and tolerability are under investigation globally. Still, a clear conclusion about their safety has not been reached. Chloroquine phosphate is an antimalarial with known side effects of itching in humans and animals. In this study, CQ was used to induce itching in mice, and the effects of ZnO NPs on scratching and other neurological behavior of mice were observed. Methods: Female BALB/c mice were divided into eleven groups of six mice each. ZnO NPs of various sizes and doses were administered orally 1 hour before CQ (32 mg/kg body weight) was administered subcutaneously. The effect of ZnO NPs on CQ-induced pruritus was observed for the next 30 minutes. Simultaneously, overall behavioral changes (socialization and locomotion) were also recorded using a video camera. Results: A significant reduction (P˂0.001) in scratching bouts was observed at all three doses of ZnO NPs (particle sizes 100, 30 nm, and green synthesized 30 nm). Locomotion was reduced significantly (P˂0.001) in ZnO NPs-treated groups in comparison to normal saline and CQ group, additionally, a significant increase in socialization (P˂0.05) was observed in ZnO NP-treated groups as compared to CQ group. Conclusion: ZnO NPs, instead of aggravating the dermatological condition, ameliorated the pruritus. All sizes of ZnO NPs used significantly improved socialization among mice and reduced locomotion activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nargis Aman
- Department of Pharmacy COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Rauf
- Department of Pharmacy COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Shujaat Ali Khan
- Department of Pharmacy COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Ahmed Tokhi
- Department of Pharmacy COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Naeem-Ur Rehman
- Department of Pharmacy COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Arfat Yameen
- Department of Pharmacy COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, KPK, Pakistan
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Itching and its related factors in subtypes of eczema: a cross-sectional multicenter study in tertiary hospitals of China. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10754. [PMID: 30018382 PMCID: PMC6050257 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28828-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Itching is a leading symptom of eczema or dermatitis and has a great impact on patients' lives. Previous studies on itching have focused mostly on atopic dermatitis (AD). A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted among outpatients with eczema from 39 tertiary hospitals in mainland China from July 1 to September 30, 2014. This work elaborates on itching in different types of eczema. Itching was very common (97%, 8499/8758) in outpatients with eczema. The severity of the itch increased with age and disease duration (P < 0.001). The top three subtypes of dermatitis with severe itching were atopic dermatitis (30.4%), widespread eczema (30.1%), and asteatotic eczema (27.9%). Widespread eczema refers to the involvement of more than three body parts, without clinical features of other specific types of eczema. The proportion of outpatients without itching was highest in hand eczema (6.8%). Positive correlations were observed between the severity of itching and the proportions of different diseases based on trend tests, including atopic dermatitis (P < 0.001), widespread eczema (P < 0.001), asteatotic eczema (P < 0.001), and autosensitization dermatitis (P < 0.001). Eczema outpatients with older age, longer disease duration, and, especially, a history of allergic diseases might be more prone to itching.
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