| PART ONE: EXPRESSION OF PERIOSTIN/TSLP IN THE SKIN OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PRURITUSObjective: Chronic pruritus is related to immune imbalances.To investigate the role of periostin and thymic stromal lymphopoietin(TSLP)in patients with chronic itch by analyzing the pathological changes of the skin lesions.Methods: A total of 42 skin lesions from patients with skin pruritus over 6 weeks and 23 normal skin samples from December 2014 to December 2016 were collected.The hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to detect the histopathological changes in the skin tissue of the patients.The differences in the degree of epidermal thickening between the two groups were compared.Immunohistochemistry(IHC)was used to detect and caculate the expression level of periostin and TSLP proteins in skin tissues.Results: HE staining showed that,compared with the normal group,the thickeness of the epidermis in patients was significantly thicker [(477.70 ± 14.89 um)vs(94.28 ± 6.58 um),P = 0.000 ].In skin lesion samples,parakeratosis and hyperkeratosis were observed in the stratum corneum and inflammatory cells were found to be infiltrated in the dermis.IHC staining showed that,compared with the normal group,the expression of periostin [(7.33 ± 3.20)vs(0.65 ± 0.65),P = 0.000 ] and TSLP [(8.48 ± 2.60)vs(0.61 ± 0.66),P = 0.000 ] in pruritus group were higher.Specifically,periostin was mainly expressed in the dermis,outside of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands,while the TSLP was mainly expressed in the epidermis,inside of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands.Conclusion: Periostin/TSLP-mediated Th2 immune response is involved in the development of chronic pruritus.PART TWO:THE ROLE OF PERIOSTIN/TSLP/IL-31 SIGNAL PATHWAY IN SENILE CHRONIC SKIN PRURITUS MODELObjective: The elderly population develops immunosenescence due to age factors.Age-related immunosenescence,which produces Th2 immune responses mediated by periostin / thymic stromal lymphopoietin(TSLP)/Interleukin-31(IL-31)signal patnway.This experiment investigated the role of periostin/TSLP/IL-31 in the model of chronic pruritus.Methods: Female C57 BL mice aged 5 months and 18 months were used to simulate young and elderly conditions.Acetone/diethyl ether and water(AEW)were used to induce chronic skin pruritus model.The control group used water.The scratching bouts were recorded with a video camera,indicate the severity of pruritus.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to compare the pathological changes.The expression and localization of periostin/TSLP/IL-31 were detected by western blot(WB)and immunofluorescence.Results: Video recordings showed severe scratching bouts by hind limbs in the aged itch group compared with the young itch group [(266±41)vs(149±32),P=0.001].HE staining showed that the epidermis was thicker in the itch group compared to the control group.In skin samples of itch group,parakeratosis and hyperkeratosis were observed.WB showed that,compared with the itch group,the expression level of periostin [(1.20±0.15)vs(0.86±0.12),P=0.004],TSLP [(1.83±0.31)vs(1.37±0.21),P=0.024],IL-31 [(0.83±0.06)vs(0.70±0.07),P=0.010] in aged itch group were significantly higher.Immunofluorescence showed the expression sites of periostin/TSLP/IL-31 were different.Periostin was mainly expressed in the dermis,TSLP and IL-31 were mainly expressed in the stratum corneumConclusions: The occurrence of senile chronic pruritus is associated with immunosenescence which mediated by periostin/TSLP/IL-31 signal pathway. |
PDF Full Text Request