Treatment of atopic dermatitis using non-thermal atmospheric plasma in an animal model

Ik Jun Moon,Sun Young Choi,Mi Ra Yun,Woo Jin Lee,Chong Hyun Won,Hae Kyeong Yoon,Sung Eun Chang,Keon Hee Lee

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-95471-z

Ik Jun Moon, Sun Young Choi + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95471-z

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Abstract

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been incorporated into various fields, including promotion of cutaneous wound healing. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic cutaneous condition characterized by inflammation-induced skin wounds and impaired skin barrier function. To investigate whether CAP may improve AD using an animal model. Dermatophagoides farinae extracts (DFE)-induced murine models of AD were used in this study. The plasma-treated group received a total of 6 CAP treatments during 2 weeks, while the control group did not receive any treatment. Differences in dermatitis severity, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), serum level of immunoglobulin (Ig) E and epidermal thickness were evaluated in both groups. The dermatitis severity was significantly improved by CAP treatment. TEWL was lower in the plasma-treated group compared with the non-treated control group. Serum Ig E dropped significantly after treatment with CAP. Difference in epidermal thickness of the ear skin was not significant between the plasma-treated and non-treated groups. Localized treatment of AD with CAP decreases dermatitis severity, TEWL, and serum Ig E level. These results show CAP’s potentials as a novel therapeutic modality for AD.

Highlights

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been incorporated into various fields, including promotion of cutaneous wound healing
Compared to the Atopic dermatitis (AD) group, where no intervention was made after induction of eczematous skin lesions, the AD + plasma group demonstrated more rapid decrease in Dermatitis Severity Score (DSS) through day 17. (Fig. 3D–F) The difference in the mean DSS was statistically significant on Day 17 (Fig. 3G, p < 0.001)
Even though the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) values of AD + plasma group were constantly lower than the AD group, they were still significantly higher when compared with the non-sensitized control group

Summary

Introduction

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been incorporated into various fields, including promotion of cutaneous wound healing. Localized treatment of AD with CAP decreases dermatitis severity, TEWL, and serum Ig E level. These results show CAP’s potentials as a novel therapeutic modality for AD. There have been reports on CAP’s ability to promote cutaneous wound healing after physical injury[7] The evidence that it stimulates keratinocyte and fibroblast migration, alters cytoskeletal dynamics in vivo, and accelerates healing in a murine model of skin wounds led to the speculation that CAP may improve skin barrier function as well as the overall disease severity of AD. We examined the effect of CAP treatment on the clinical severity, molecular profile, and skin histology in a murine model of AD

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