Project description:Atopic dermatitis is a multifactorial allergic skin disease in humans and dogs. Genetic predisposition, immunologic hyperreactivity, a defective skin barrier and environmental factors play a role in its pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to analyze gene expression in the skin of dogs sensitized to house dust mite antigens. Skin biopsies were collected from six sensitized and six non-sensitized Beagle dogs from normal, non-treated skin before and six and 24 hours after challenge using skin patches with allergen or saline as a negative control. Transcriptome analysis was performed by the use of DNA microarrays and expression of selected genes was validated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Expression data was compared between groups (unpaired design). After 24 hours 597 differentially expressed genes were detected, 361 with higher and 226 with lower mRNA concentration in allergen treated skin of sensitized dogs compared to their saline-treated skin and compared to the control specimens. Functional annotation clustering, pathway-and co-citation analysis showed, that the genes with increased expression were involved in inflammation, wound healing and immune response. In contrast, genes with decreased expression in sensitized dogs were associated with differentiation and barrier function of the skin. As the sensitized dogs did not show differences in the untreated skin compared to controls, inflammation after allergen patch test probably led to a decrease in the expression of genes important for barrier formation. Our results further confirm the similar pathophysiology of human and canine atopic dermatitis and revealed genes previously not known to be involved in canine atopic dermatitis. 60 canine (dog) skin tissue samples; six sensitized and six non-sensitized Beagle dogs; samples collected before (0h), 6h and 24h after challenge with allergen; samples collected from a skin area treated with saline and from an area treated with allergen
Project description:Canine atopic dermatitis (AD) is clinically similar to human AD, implicating it as a useful model of human eosinophilic allergic disease. To identify cutaneous gene transcription changes in relatively early inflammation of canine AD, microarrays were used to monitor transcription in normal skin (n=13) and in acute lesional AD (ALAD) and nearby visibly nonlesional AD (NLAD) skin (n=13) from dogs. Scanning the putative abnormally-transcribed genes, several potentially relevant genes, some abnormally transcribed in both NLAD and ALAD (e.g. IL6, NFAM1, MSRA, and SYK), were observed. Comparison for abnormally-transcribed genes common to two related human diseases, human AD and asthmatic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (aCRSwNP), further identified genes or gene sets likely relevant to eosinophilic allergic inflammation. These included 1) genes associated with alternatively-activated monocyte-derived cells, including members of the monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP) gene cluster, 2) members of the IL1 family gene cluster, 3) eosinophil-associated seven transmembrane receptor EMR1 and EMR3 genes, 4) interferon-inducible genes, and 5) keratin genes associated with hair and nail formation. Overall, numerous abnormally-transcribed genes were observed only in canine AD; however, many others are common to related human eosinophilic allergic diseases and represent therapeutic targets testable in dogs with AD. Total RNA from skin biopsy specimens from 13 Healthy (i.e. Normal) dogs were compared to total RNA from acute lesional skin biopsy specimens (i.e. ALAD) and nearby visibly nonlesional skin biopsy specimens (i.e. NLAD) from 13 dogs with atopic dermatitis.
Project description:Characteization host-microbiome interactions in patients with allergic (model: atopic dermatitis) and autoimmune (model: psoriasis) diseases by integration of microarray transcriptome data with 16S microbial profiling. 6mm punch biopsies were collected from the skin of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis patients alongside healthy volunteers, and subjected to analysis using Affymetrix Human Gene ST 2.1 arrays.
Project description:Atopic dermatitis is a multifactorial allergic skin disease in humans and dogs. Genetic predisposition, immunologic hyperreactivity, a defective skin barrier and environmental factors play a role in its pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to analyze gene expression in the skin of dogs sensitized to house dust mite antigens. Skin biopsies were collected from six sensitized and six non-sensitized Beagle dogs from normal, non-treated skin before and six and 24 hours after challenge using skin patches with allergen or saline as a negative control. Transcriptome analysis was performed by the use of DNA microarrays and expression of selected genes was validated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Expression data was compared between groups (unpaired design). After 24 hours 597 differentially expressed genes were detected, 361 with higher and 226 with lower mRNA concentration in allergen treated skin of sensitized dogs compared to their saline-treated skin and compared to the control specimens. Functional annotation clustering, pathway-and co-citation analysis showed, that the genes with increased expression were involved in inflammation, wound healing and immune response. In contrast, genes with decreased expression in sensitized dogs were associated with differentiation and barrier function of the skin. As the sensitized dogs did not show differences in the untreated skin compared to controls, inflammation after allergen patch test probably led to a decrease in the expression of genes important for barrier formation. Our results further confirm the similar pathophysiology of human and canine atopic dermatitis and revealed genes previously not known to be involved in canine atopic dermatitis.
Project description:<p>Studies have emphasized the importance of disease-associated microorganisms in perturbed communities, however, the protective roles of commensals are largely under recognized and poorly understood. Using acne as a model disease, we investigated the determinants of the overall virulence property of the skin microbiota when disease- and health-associated organisms coexist in the community. By ultra-deep metagenomic shotgun sequencing, we revealed higher relative abundances of propionibacteria and Propionibacterium acnes phage in healthy skin. In acne patients, the microbiome composition at the species level and at P. acnes strain level was more diverse than in healthy individuals, with enriched virulence-associated factors and reduced abundance of metabolic synthesis genes. Based on the abundance profiles of the metagenomic elements, we constructed a quantitative prediction model, which classified the clinical states of the host skin with high accuracy in both our study cohort (85%) and an independent sample set (86%). Our results suggest that the balance between metagenomic elements, not the mere presence of disease-associated strains, shapes the overall virulence property of the skin microbiota. This study provides new insights into the microbial mechanism of acne pathogenesis and suggests probiotic and phage therapies as potential acne treatments to modulate the skin microbiota and to maintain skin health.</p>
Project description:We used Drop-seq and next generation sequencing to determine gene expression differences in dogs with atopic dermatitis and healthy dogs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in an unbiased way. Using Seurat, we find 13 discrete immune cells clusters, including a cluster enriched for Gata3 expressing T cells with 95 differentially expressed genes between healthy and allergic dogs.
Project description:To investigate differences in the kinetics of allergic contact dermatitis reactions in psoriasis patients, molecular changes in clinically non-involved skin of psoriasis patients was investigated whole genome expression arrays of clinically non-involved skin of psoriasis (n=8), lichen planus (n=3), and healthy individuals (n=7) were performed