Suppressive effects on allergic contact dermatitis by short-term fasting

Fasting alters various hormonal and immune conditions. It has been reported that delayed type immune response to the injection of keyhole limpet hemocyanin was depressed by short-term fasting. In this study, we adopted the computer-assisted image analyzer for histopathological analysis and evaluated the influence of short-term fasting on allergic contact dermatitis induced by 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). Mice were sensitized by painting of DNFB to the abdomen. After the sensitization, mice were challenged by DNFB painting to the ear. Fasting started 24 hour before (48-hour fasted group) or immediately after (24-hour fasted group) the challenging. Fasting without DNFB treatment did not induce remarkable change of ear thickness, ear tissue, serum albumin, serum total protein, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase. or serum creatine phosphokinase. In contrast, lasting suppressed the increment of ear thickness in the DNFB-treated group in this study. We could also demonstrate, using the computerized image analyzer, that both lymphocyte infiltration and the edema in the dermis were suppressed in fasted mice treated with DNFB. Further, edema in the dermis was inhibited more strongly in 48-hour fasted mice than in 24-hour lasted mice. These findings indicate that short-term fasting induce histopathological changes in the state of contact dermatitis.