Melanocortin receptors 1 and 5 might mediate inhibitory effects of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone on antigen-induced chronic allergic skin inflammation in IgE transgenic mice

摘要

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic allergic disease in skin with severe irritation and inflammation, and most patients with AD show elevated plasma levels of IgE against large numbers of allergens. It is known that IgE is involved in type I allergy, which is an immediate hypersensitivity through mast cells with IgE. However, it is not clear how IgE affects chronic allergic diseases such as AD. Anti-lgE antibody (omalizumab) has been shown to improve symptoms in not only allergic rhinitis, which is a typical type I allergy disease, but also AD and chronic asthma, which are chronic allergic diseases (Sheinkopf ef a/., 2008). We focused on elucidating the mechanism for IgE-mediated chronic inflammation to find and establish a original treatment for chronic allergic diseases.