BALB/c 마우스에서 Ovalbumin으로 유발된 아토피피부염 양 병변에 Dehydroepiandrosterone의 경구투여가 미치는 영향

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic cutaneous inflammatory disorder. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a sex hormone normally secreted from the adrenal gland and is used to treat various disorders. It decreases in the serum of AD patients and is known to attenuate dust mite-induced airway allergic responses associated with reduced Th2 cytokine. Objective: The authors attempted investigate the effect of DHEA on AD-like skin lesions by reviewing the cytokine profile and specific IgE production in BALB/c mice sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA). Method: Mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of OVA, followed by epicutaneous sensitization for 5 weeks. DHEA was given by the oral route. After all mice were sacrificed at the end of the experiment, skin, spleen tissue and blood were harvested. Result: Gross and histological examinations of skin lesions showed inflammation. The severity was mild or absent in DHEA-ingested mice and the number of inflammatory cells was significantly reduced. The IL-5 levels in the cultured splenocytes significantly decreased in the sensitized mice than in the control group. The IFN-γ/IL-5 ratio significantly increased in the sensitized mice. Conclusion: DHEA ingestion may suppress OVA-induced AD-like skin lesions and prevents the cytokine production of Th2 cells. (Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol 2009;29:269-276)