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Background House dust mite (HDM) is a well‐known cause of asthma. Allergen‐specific immunotherapy (AIT) can only modify the natural course of the disease. Conventional routes of HDM AIT are subcutaneous or sublingual. Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) has a disadvantage of systemic hypersensitive reaction, and the sublingual immunotherapy has a disadvantage of local allergic reaction and low drug adherence. Objective To overcome the weak points of conventional AIT, we developed a HDM loaded biodegradable microneedle patch (MNP) for transdermal immunotherapy (TDIT). We aim to demonstrate the efficacy of TDIT in murine asthma model triggered by HDM compared with conventional SCIT. Methods To make HDM asthma mouse model, 5‐week‐old BALB/c female mice were sensitized and challenged by intranasal administration of HDM. The mice were divided into 5 groups: sham, asthma, low (10 µg) and high dose (100 µg) SCIT, and TDIT (10 µg). To make HDM loaded MNP, droplet‐born air blowing method was used. Airway hyperresponsiveness and allergic inflammation markers were analysed by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, immunohistochemistry, serum immunoglobulin (Ig) analysis, and lung cytokine assays. Results Airway hyperresponsiveness was ameliorated by TDIT. Eosinophilic inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage was improved without adverse reactions. Reduction of Th2 (IL‐4, IL‐5, and IL‐13) cytokines, and HDM‐specific IgE, induction of Treg (IL‐10, TGF‐β), Th1 (IFN‐γ) cytokines were observed. Eosinophilic infiltration, goblet cell hyperplasia, and subepithelial fibrosis were also alleviated by TDIT. These changes were more significant in the TDIT group than in subcutaneous AIT group. Conclusion In conclusion, HDM loaded biodegradable TDIT is a novel treatment option to treat asthma which showed more effectiveness and may have better safety profiles than conventional SCIT.

To compare the systemic efficacy of borage oil (Borago officinalis: BO) and gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon), two plant species of the Boraginaceae family, epidermal hyperproliferation was induced in guinea pigs by a hydrogenated coconut oil diet for 8 weeks. Subsequently, guinea pigs were fed diets of BO (group HBO), organic extract (group HGO), or water extract (group HGW) of gromwell for 2 weeks. In groups HGO and HGW, proliferation scores and the level of ceramides, the major lipid maintaining epidermal barrier, were similar with those in normal control group BO fed BO diet for 10 weeks. Despite accumulation of 15-hydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (15-HETrE), the potent anti-proliferative metabolite of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA: major polyunsaturated fatty acid in BO), the reversal of epidermal hyperproliferation and the ceramide level of group HBO were less than those of groups HGO and HGW. Taken together, our data demonstrate that gromwell is more effective in reversing epidermal hyperproliferation with a marked increase in ceramides.

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We studied the role of the additives trehalose and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) in the physical and pharmacokinetic properties of peptide drug incorporated hyaluronic acid microneedles. Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) increases the mechanical strength of microneedles and ameliorates drug bioavailability in vivo, suggesting that poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) can be a promising additive in the fabrication of peptide drug-encapsulated fully dissolving microneedles.

The skin is a very suitable organ for the induction of immune responses to vaccine antigens. Antigen delivery systems to the skin by needle and syringe directly deposit the antigen into the epidermal-dermal compartment, one of the most immunocompetent sites due to the presence of professional antigen-presenting cells aimed at the induction of antigen-specific T cells. In this study, we analyzed the amount of ovalbumin as an antigen delivered to the skin by a microneedle. When ovalbumin protein as an antigen was delivered to the skin of mice using a dissolving microneedle, it induced an immune response through the enhanced proliferation and cytokines production by the splenocytes and lymph nodes. Also, it effectively increased the ovalbumin-specific CD8 + T cell and CD4 + T cell population and induced an ovalbumin-specific CTL response against the graft of ovalbumin-expressing EG7 tumor cells in the immunized mice. Also, we identified the inhibition of tumor growth and prevention of tumor formation in the context of the therapeutic and prophylactic vaccine, respectively through EG-7 tumor mouse model. Finally, these data show the potential of patches as attractive antigen delivery vehicles.

A highly fluorinated alternating copolymer, P(RFMi-St), possessing patterning capabilities under high energy radiation was achieved with semi-perfluorodecyl maleimide and styrene.

Background: Minimally invasive skin sampling is used in various fields. In this study, we examined whether it was possible to obtain skin specimens using biocompatible microneedles composed of sodium hyaluronate and performed transcriptome analysis. Materials and methods:Thirty-three subjects with different skin conditions, such as skin aging, skin hydration, skin pigmentation, oily skin and sensitive skin, were recruited. Skin types were evaluated based on age, non-invasive measurement devices, 10% lactic acid stinging test and visual assessment; the skin specimens were sampled from the face using microneedles. Total RNA was extracted, and microarray was performed. Correlations between various biomarkers and skin condition parameters were analysed.Results: Several skin-type biomarkers are correlated with age, non-invasive device measurements, LAST score and visual assessment of acne lesions. Representatively, COL1A1 (Collagen type 1 alpha 1 chain), FN1 (Fibronectin 1) and PINK1 (PTEN-induced putative kinase protein 1) for skin aging, FLG (Filaggrin), KLF4 (Kruppel-like factor 4) and LOR (Loricrin) for skin hydration, GPNMB (Glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B), MLANA (Melan-A) and TYR (Tyrosinase) for skin pigmentation, IGF1 (insulin-like growth factor-1), MPZL3 (Myelin protein zero like 3) and AQP3 (Aquaporin 3) for oily skin and PGF (placental growth factor), CYR61 (cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61), RBP4 (retinol-binding protein 4), TAC1 (Tachykinin precursor 1), CAMP (Cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide), MMP9 (Matrix metallopeptidase 9), MMP3, MMP12 and CCR1 (C-C motif chemokine receptor 1) for sensitive skin. Conclusion:Microneedle skin sampling is a new and minimally invasive option for transcriptome analysis of human skin and can be applied for diagnosis and treatment efficacy evaluation, as well as skin type classification.