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Erythema and skin blood content
The British Journal of Dermatology
|May 1, 1982
Summary
Anthracene exposure followed by blacklight irradiation causes skin inflammation in pigs and mice. Pig skin showed redness (erythema) and swelling (oedema), while mouse skin developed swelling but not redness, indicating distinct inflammatory responses.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Photobiology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Skin exposure to anthracene and subsequent UV irradiation can induce inflammatory reactions.
- Understanding species-specific responses to phototoxic agents is crucial for risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the inflammatory skin responses of pigs and hairless mice to anthracene and blacklight irradiation.
- To differentiate between hyperaemia and erythema as indicators of skin inflammation.
Main Methods:
- Animals (pigs and hairless mice) were painted with anthracene and exposed to fluorescent blacklight.
- Skin responses including erythema and oedema were observed and quantified.
- Hyperaemia was measured using 51Cr-red blood cell (RBC) content, and erythema was assessed using a standardized grading scale.
Main Results:
- Pig skin exhibited erythema and oedema upon irradiation, while mouse skin showed oedema but no erythema.
- Mouse skin demonstrated a nine-fold increase in hyperaemia without erythema.
- Pig skin showed intense erythema with no significant increase in hyperaemia.
Conclusions:
- The study reveals that hyperaemia (increased blood flow) and erythema (redness) are distinct components of the inflammatory response.
- Erythema can occur independently of hyperaemia, and hyperaemia does not always lead to erythema.
- Species-specific differences in skin response to phototoxic agents like anthracene are significant.