Control itch in atopic dermatitis

特应性皮炎是一种常见的瘙痒性炎症性皮肤病。螨虫、粉尘等环境因素和心理压力加剧了特应性皮炎。我们已经证明，心理应激本身可以诱导抓挠行为，并引发特应性皮炎模型小鼠NC/Nga的皮肤变化。心理应激降低外周血和脾脏NK细胞，降低脑组织kappa-阿片受体mRNA表达。另一方面，心理应激增加了脑内u-阿片受体mRNA的表达。我们的数据表明，控制阿片受体表达和NK细胞谱可能抑制应激诱导的抓伤行为，并导致特应性皮炎的新治疗方法。

Atopic dermatitis is a common pruritic inflammatory skin disease. It has been well recognized that environmental factors such as mites and dusts and psychological stress exacerbate atopic dermatitis. We have demonstrated that psychological stress by itself can induce scratching behaviour and trigger atopic dermatitis-like skin changes in atopic dermatitis model mice, NC/Nga. Psychological stress decreased peripheral blood and spleen NK cells, and the mRNA expression of kappa-opioid receptors in brain. On the other hand, psychological stress increased the mRNA expression of u-opioid receptors in brain. Our data suggest that the control of opioid receptor expression and NK cell profile may suppress stress-induced scratching behavior, and lead to a new treatment of atopic dermatitis.