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A light-emitting mouse to image skin inflammation
Jason J Bentow1, Rattapon Thuangtong, Julie Iwasaki
1Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA.
Background:
The mouse ear swelling test is a well-accepted method for quantitating the inflammatory response to contact irritants and sensitizing agents. However, this assay measures edema rather than the cellular component of skin inflammation.
Objective:
To develop a quantitative and noninvasive assay of inflammatory cell infiltration in contact dermatitis.
Methods:
We bred a transgenic bioluminescent mouse that emits light proportional to cutaneous infiltration of inflammatory cells. We characterized this model by correlating luminescence with edema and histologic analysis of affected skin. A mouse strain expressing cyclization recombinase enzyme (cre) recombinase exclusively in myeloid cells was crossed with a reporter strain containing an inactivated form of the luciferase gene. In progeny mice, cre-mediated recombination repaired the luciferase gene, causing light emission from myeloid cells. Light emission and swelling from the inflamed ear was quantitated and compared to the contralateral ear.
Results:
Light intensity correlated with the inflammatory cell infiltration in the dermis. In sensitized mice challenged with squaric acid, luminescence increased about 2.2-fold while swelling increased about 1.5-fold.
Conclusion:
Our model may serve as a useful screening assay for topical antiinflammatory molecules. Moreover, this approach allows real-time imaging of skin infiltration by specific inflammatory cell lineages in living animals.
