Skin inflammation exacerbates food allergy symptoms in epicutaneously sensitized mice

Cutaneous exposure to food antigen through impaired skin barrier has been shown to induce epicutaneous sensitization, and thereby cause IgE-mediated food allergy. We examined whether skin barrier impairment deteriorated food allergy symptoms in epicutaneously sensitized mice. To clarify the association between skin inflammation and food allergy symptoms, we analyzed gene expression at skin lesions using a GeneChip. Epicutaneously ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice were orally challenged with OVA. The mice were treated with epicutaneous application of calcipotriol (MC903) or vehicle ethanol (EtOH). We examined the allergy symptoms, and isolated RNA from the treated skins after the second OVA challenge. The gene expression in the treated skin were analyzed by using Genechip system.