Site-specific microarray evaluation of spontaneous dermatitis in flaky tail mice

Flaky tail mice (FTM) are known to spontaneously develop atopic dermatitis-like dermatitis with age. Interestingly, we have already reported that the spontaneous development of dermatitis exhibits site-specificity, e.g., the face, ears, and neck of old FTM develop severe dermatitis spontaneously, whereas the dorsal flank skin remains normal. The detailed mechanisms of site-specific emergence of dermatitis remain unclear. Here, we analyzed non-lesional and lesional skin in FTM using a microarray to focus the pathogenesis of site-specific dermatitis. This gene analysis showed that abnormal lipid metabolism including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling might be deeply involved in the site-specific emergence or maintenance of dermatitis on the necks of old FTM.