Summary
Background
Zinc is one of the essential dietary factors and zinc deficiency diminishes the immune
system. However, the mechanisms by which zinc deficiency affects the immune system
are not fully understood.
Objective
We analyzed the mechanisms of zinc deficiency affecting the allergic response using
a DS-Nh mouse model of atopic dermatitis.
Methods
Male DS-Nh mice were fed a zinc deficient diet for 4 weeks. We measured transepidermal water
loss (TEWL) and epidermal moisture level, assessed the skin eruption score, and examined
the frequency of lymphocyte subpopulation in spleen and thymus by flow cytometry.
The suppressive effect of CD25+CD4+ T cells was analyzed in vitro. The amount of cytokines
produced by the spleen cells and the serum IgE levels were measured by ELISA.
Results
In DS-Nh mice fed the zinc deficient diet, skin eruptions were exacerbated and serum IgE levels
and number of S. aureus on the skin surface was increased. IFN-γ and IL-13 production by spleen cells was
increased. The number of CD25+CD4+ T cells in spleen was significantly decreased,
while the percentage of Foxp3 positive cells in the CD25+CD4+ T cells was comparable
to those of the controls. CD25+CD4+ T cells from mice fed the zinc deficient diet
maintained a suppressive function compared with those from the controls.
Conclusion
These findings indicate that zinc deficiency influences the skin barrier system and
immune system, and suggests that zinc deficiency acts as an exacerbation factor of
atopic dermatitis.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Journal of Dermatological ScienceAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Low serum zinc in children with atopic eczema.Br J Dermatol. 1984; 111: 597-601
- Pathogenetic mechanisms of atopic dermatitis.Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz). 2000; 48: 497-504
- Atopic dermatitis: new insights and opportunities for therapeutic intervention.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000; 105: 860-876
- The role of lymphocytes in allergic disease.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000; 105: 399-408
- Immune regulation in atopic dermatitis.Curr Opin Immunol. 2000; 12: 641-646
- Atopic dermatitis: immunobiology and treatment with immune modulators.Clin Exp Immunol. 1997; 107: 25-30
- Decreased interferon gamma and increased interleukin-4 in atopic dermatitis promotes IgE synthesis.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1992; 90: 323-331
- Biomolecular regulation of the IgE synthesis and spontaneous production of cytokines.Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 1995; 106: 55-61
- Naturally occurring dermatitis associated with Staphylococcus aureus in DS-Nh mice.Exp Anim. 1997; 46: 225-229
- Characterization of dermatitis arising spontaneously in DS-Nh mice maintained under conventional conditions: another possible model for atopic dermatitis.J Dermatol Sci. 2002; 30: 142-153
- Role of the Nh (Non-hair) mutation in the development of dermatitis and hyperproduction of IgE in DS-Nh mice.Exp Anim. 2003; 52: 419-423
- Apoptosis may underlie the pathology of zinc-deficient skin.Immunol Cell Biol. 2006; 84: 28-37
- Comparative roles of IL-4, IL-13, and IL-4Rα in dendritic cell maturation and CD4+Th2 cell function.J Immunol. 2007; 178: 219-227
- Cutaneous lymphocyte antigen is a specialized form of PSGL-1 expressed on skin-homing T cells.Nature. 1997; 389: 978-981
- Evidence suggesting involvement of interleukin-4 (IL-4) production in spontaneous in vitro IgE synthesis in patients with atopic dermatitis.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1991; 102: 165-169
- The role of IL-13 and its receptor in allergy and inflammatory responses.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1998; 102: 165-169
- interleukin-13 induces interleukin-4-independent IgG4 and IgE synthesis and CD23 expression by human B cells.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1993; 90: 3730-3734
- Differential regulation of IL-13 and IL-4 production by human CD8+ and CD4+ Th0, Th1 and Th2 T cell clones and EBV-transformed B cells.Int Immunol. 1995; 7: 1405-1416
- Effect of TNCB sensitization in DS-Nh mice, serving as a model of atopic dermatitis, in comparison with NC/Nga mice.Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2005; 136: 173-180
- Cyclophosphamide decreases the number, percentage and the function of CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells, which suppress induction of contact hypersensitivity.J Dermatol Sci. 2005; 39: 105-112
- Tregs and allergic disease.J Clin Invest. 2004; 114: 1389-1397
Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 12, 2010
Accepted:
November 1,
2007
Received in revised form:
July 14,
2007
Received:
March 13,
2007
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
