Media Availability: NIH-Funded Scientists Develop Mouse Model for Atopic Dermatitis

Media Availability: NIH-Funded Scientists Develop Mouse Model for Atopic Dermatitis

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New Mouse Model Developed for Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

A NIAID-funded study reports on a new mouse model for atopic dermatitis, an inflammatory skin disorder commonly known as eczema. The study appears in the January 9, 2014, online issue of Cell Reports.

Mice lacking phospholipase C-β3 (PLC- β3), an enzyme that regulates inflammation, develop a skin disorder similar to human eczema. In this model, mast cells, a type of immune cell, and activity of a signaling protein called Stat5 are critical for both spontaneous and allergen-induced eczema. These roles were not previously known, and the researchers provide evidence for them in human eczema. The targets identified in this study may offer potential new strategies for treating this common disorder.

Read more about the study.