Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
09:15
A Mouse Model to Assess Innate Immune Response to Staphylococcus aureus Infection
Published on: February 28, 2019
The acute cutaneous inflammatory response is attenuated in Slug-knockout mice
Kimberly M Newkirk1, F Jason Duncan, Erin M Brannick
1Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. kmnewkirk@utk.edu
Summary
Slug knockout mice show reduced sunburn inflammation. This unexpected finding reveals Slug
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Molecular Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) induces Slug, a Snail family zinc-finger transcription factor, in mouse epidermis.
- Slug's role in UVR response and sunburn has not been fully elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Slug in the cutaneous response to UVR-induced sunburn.
- To compare the inflammatory response in Slug-knockout and wild-type mice after UVR exposure.
Main Methods:
- Generation and use of Slug-knockout mice.
- Single exposure to 3 minimal erythemal doses of UVR.
- Assessment of cutaneous inflammatory response, including skin thickness, neutrophil infiltration, immune cell presence, and cytokine/chemokine expression.
Main Results:
- Slug-knockout mice exhibited significantly reduced sunburn severity compared to wild-type mice.
- Reduced immediate increase in skin thickness and neutrophil infiltration observed in Slug-knockout mice.
- Differences in cytokine and chemokine expression correlated with altered inflammatory responses.
Conclusions:
- Slug plays an unexpected but crucial role in mediating the acute cutaneous inflammatory response to UVR.
- Slug knockout confers resistance to sunburn, challenging its previously understood roles.
