The Role Of Stathmin In Chronic Itch

Objective: To determine the role of stathmin in the pathogenesis of chronic itch through patients with inflammatory skin diseases and dry skin mice model.Methods: This research collected 35 samples from patients with chronic itch caused by inflammatory skin diseases and 3 control samples.Expression of stathmin was evaluated in skin biopsy samples from patients and control individuals by means of IHC;HE staining was used to detect structural changes in epidermal tissue from patients.Using AEW-induced dry skin mice model,the skin lesion,the cervical and lumbar segment of spinal cord,and the brain of mice were removed to examine the differential expression of stathmin between AEW model group and control group via western blotting and real-time PCR.Results: IHC showed that high expression of stathmin was found on keratinocytes,epithelial cells and inflamed immune cells in skin lesions from patients with inflammatory skin diseases compared to control individuals;H&E staining showed that the stratum corneum of skin lesions from patients thickened accompanied with hyperkeratosis and inflammatory cell infiltration.Compared with control group in AEW-induced dry skin mice model,western blot showed that stathmin was highly expressed in skin lesions of AEW group,real-time PCR showed that stathmin was up-regulated in skin lesions and the brain of AEW group.Conclusion: The findings of this research indicate that stathmin plays a role in the pathogenesis of chronic itch.Stathmin produced by keratinocytes,epithelial cells and inflamed immune cells can affect the skin barrier function,and promote chronic itch process.Stathmin may be a promising target for chronic itch treatment,and its expression would be significant for the development of new drugs and a better treatment.