Shortened treatment duration of glucocorticoid-induced skin atrophy in rats

Effects of 3,5,3′-Triiodothyroacetic Acid, Nanoencapsulated or Not, on Intact and Atrophic Skin in Rats

We aimed to investigate 3,5,3′-triiodothyroacetic acid (TRIAC) effects on intact and atrophic skin induced by glucocorticoids (GCs) in rats and the effects induced by nanoencapsulation. The effects of TRIAC and nanoencapsulated TRIAC were evaluated on intact and atrophic skin in TRIAC experiment and nanoencapsulated TRIAC experiment, respectively. Both experiments had two phases: phase I, cutaneous atrophy was induced; phase II, TRIAC or nanoencapsulated TRIAC was administrated. Our results showed that topical use of TRIAC with or without nanoencapsulation was able to reverse cutaneous atrophy. Nanoencapsulated TRIAC showed less systemic changes than TRIAC; therefore, it is possibly a safer drug for topical administration.

Topical tacrolimus does not negatively impact acute skin wound healing

Despite the increasing use of topical tacrolimus, there is little information about its effect on skin wound healing. To determine effects on acute cutaneous wound healing, two full-thickness skin wounds were imparted on the backs of 45 hairless mice, which were then divided into vehicle-, topical tacrolimus- and topical steroid-treated group. Each drug was topically applied once daily. The wound area was assessed by using dermoscopic images every two days after wounding. At 3, 7 and 11 days after wounding, 10 wounds in each group were collected for semi-quantitative analysis of histological features including re-epithelialization, polymorphonuclear leucocytes, fibroblasts and collagen. We also checked the mRNA expression levels of EGF, TGF-β, TNF-α and IL-1α. While topical application of clobetasol propionate was found to delay re-epithelialization and infiltration of polymorphonuclear leucocyte, topical treatment with tacrolimus showed patterns similar to that of the vehicle. In the tacrolimus-treated group, mRNA expression levels of IL-1α and TGF-β were slightly decreased, while the others were similar with the vehicle-treated group. Unlike steroid, topical tacrolimus, therefore, did not disturb the wound healing process in a murine skin wound model.