Comparison of human and canine atopic dermatitis transcriptome: A meta-analysis and review from a one health...

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting humans and animals, including dogs. The underlying mechanisms in both species are intricate and varied, yet they demonstrate notable similarities. Although numerous transcriptome profiles have been analyzed separately for each species, comparative studies are relatively scarce. We performed a meta-analysis of gene expression datasets from the affected skin of dogs and humans. Enrichment analysis of commonly shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) derived from two canine datasets revealed an IL-27-mediated signaling pathway. Furthermore, after examining two published GEO datasets from humans and two from canines, we identified fifteen conserved DEGs across all datasets (p < 0.05). The enrichment assessment of the upregulated genes indicated that S100A8 and S100A9 are associated with the Th17 signaling pathway, while FHL1 and STAT1 are linked to JAK-STAT signaling pathways. CCL13, identified as a Th2-related chemokine, displayed increased expression in both canine and human AD. Consequently, these proteins may serve as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD in both species. Additionally, three gene products-HSD11B1, IL-34, and NELL2-showed different expression patterns in humans and dogs with AD, suggesting that specific genes may have distinct roles in the pathogenesis of AD across species.