Transcriptomic evidence for atopic dermatitis as a systemic disease in NC/Nga mice

In the current study, we evaluated whether atopic dermatitis (AD) affects the entire body rather than being limited to skin barrier damage and inflammation. We hypothesized that medium-term exposure of distant organs to systemic inflammatory cytokines in sub-chronic inflammatory skin diseases has detrimental effects on distant tissues.

Our findings demonstrated the dysregulation of genes and pathways associated with inflammation and the skin barrier, as well as genes and pathways involved in muscle development that respond to chemicals or stress in muscle tissues, all of which were reversed by hydrocortisone (Hc) administration. The expression of Ces1d showed significant differences during disease onset and after treatment in both skin and skeletal muscle, suggesting that Ces1d is likely responsible for the alleviation of subchronic AD.

Using NC/Nga mice with AD-like symptoms, we compared the transcriptomes of the skeletal muscle (a tissue that is relatively distant from the skin) with those of the skin (the lesion induction site) before and after disease induction, after which Hc was administered. Although further study is needed to better understand the effects of Ces1d on AD, skeletal muscle was associated with AD pathogenesis, and AD-like symptoms appeared to affect the body in a systemic manner. Given the importance of evidence-based medicine and the development of precision medicine, our findings provide insights into the mechanisms of AD onset and progression.