Dorsal Skin Reactions of Hairless Dogs to Topical Treatment with Corticosteroids

Abstract

Dorsal skin reactions to continuous topical treatment with different types of corticosteroids were histologically investigated in hairless descendants of Mexican hairless dogs. The preparations tested were prednisolone (ST-1; weak), fluocinolone acetonide (ST-2; moderate), diflucortolone valrerate (ST-3; strong), and mometasone furoate (ST-4; very strong). Grossly, the sites treated with ST-3 and ST-4 showed moderate inflammatory reactions. After completion of the corticosteroid treatment, both sites were less pigmented and had a thin texture. The severity of histologic changes in the skin was dependent on the efficacy of the corticosteroids. The epidermis was prominently thinned from 1 wk after treatment with the corticosteroids, resulting in a flat dermis-epidermis junction. By the end of the corticosteroid treatment, these lesions became progressively more severe. At 2 wk after completion of topical treatment, the epidermal thickness in the sites treated with ST-1 and ST-2 began to return to normal values, whereas the epidermis of the skin treated with ST-3 and ST-4 became thinner. At 3-4 wk after topical treatment with ST-3 and ST-4, the dermis showed hyalinization of collagen bundles. These dermatologic findings in hairless dogs are in accordance with steroid-induced skin atrophy of human beings. These results suggest that the skin of hairless dogs responds sensitively to topical corticosteroids and that these animals are a useful model for investigating the efficacy and adverse effects of cutaneous topical corticosteroids.

Test systems for the determination of glucocorticoid receptor ligand induced skin atrophy

“…19 Atrophogenicity has been evaluated in mice, 32,33 in rats, 34,35 in pigs 36,37 and in dogs. 3 Castor and Baker showed as early as 1950 that topical application of hydrocortisone to rat skin caused dermal thinning. 38 Overall the rat seems to be the best suited species.…”

“…2 Atrophy of the skin is characterized by a sincere loss in skin thickness and elasticity causing cutaneous transparency, increased fragility and telangiectatic surface. [3][4][5] It is associated with an increased permeability and transepidermal water loss, 6 which indicates a Topical glucocorticoids are highly anti-inflammatory effective but limited by their side effect potential, with skin atrophy being the most prominent one. Thus, determining the atrophogenic potential of novel compounds targeting the glucocorticoid receptor is important.…”

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase blockade prevents age-induced skin structure and function defects

“…GCs also induce a flattening of the normally undulating "rete ridges" at the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) (7). At a cellular level, dermal collagen content in human skin is decreased following topical and systemic GC treatment (3,8,9) and is similarly decreased in rats following subcutaneous dexamethasone injection (10).…”

“…At a cellular level, dermal collagen content in human skin is decreased following topical and systemic GC treatment (3,8,9) and is similarly decreased in rats following subcutaneous dexamethasone injection (10). Subsequently, there is a profound increase in the transparency of skin with a tissue paper-like consistency, increased fragility, tearing and bruising (7), increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) (11), poor wound healing (12,13), and increased infection risk (14).…”

Evaluation of the atrophogenic potential of hydrocortisone 1% cream and pimecrolimus 1% cream in uninvolved forehead skin of patients with atopic dermatitis using optical coherence tomography

“…However, the most important cutaneous side effect and the major limitation of TCS is skin atrophy (4,5) that is characterized by a profound increase in transparency of skin, a cigarette-paper-like consistency accompanied by an increased fragility (6) and thin, shiny and telangiectatic surface (7). Histopathologically, a reduced thickness of the epidermis with decreased size of keratinocytes (5,8), a reduced number of fibroblasts (9) and a diminution of stratum corneum intercellular lipid lamellae (10) can be seen.…”