Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Gene activity changes in dog skin with demodicosis and immune
By Kelly, Pamela A et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2023·University College Dublin·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Gene expression analysis of Canine Demodicosis; A milieu promoting immune tolerance.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with a skin condition called demodicosis, caused by an overgrowth of Demodex mites, was studied to understand how their immune system was affected. These dogs often had underlying health issues that weakened their immune response. Researchers found that the dogs had increased levels of certain immune cells and proteins that help the mites evade the immune system. This suggests that the mites may be manipulating the dogs' immune responses to thrive. Understanding this could help veterinarians develop better treatments for affected dogs.
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Abstract
Canine demodicosis is a common skin disease seen in companion animal practice that results from an overpopulation of the commensal Demodex mite species. Common predisposing factors to the development of canine demodicosis include immunosuppressive diseases, such as neoplasia and hypothyroidism, and administration of immunosuppressive therapies, such as corticosteroids. Despite this, the pathogenesis of development of canine demodicosis remains unclear. Previous studies have implicated a role for increased expression of toll like receptor 2 (TLR2), increased production of interleukin (IL)-10) and T cell exhaustion. Here, we investigate gene expression of formalin fixed paraffin embedded skin samples from twelve cases of canine demodicosis in comparison to twelve healthy controls, using a 770 gene panel (NanoString Canine IO Panel). Results show an increase in the T cell population, specifically Th1 and Treg cells in dogs with demodicosis. In addition, while there is an upregulation of immunosuppressive cytokines such as IL-10 and IL-13, there is also an upregulation of immune check point molecules including PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4. These findings suggest that Demodex spp. mites are modulating the host immune system to their advantage through upregulation of several immune tolerance promoting pathways.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37163871/