Decreased innervation of eczematous skin in NC/Nga atopic mice during chronic mild stress

Background and aim: A connection between chronic mild stress and altered innervation in the skin of an atopic mouse strain, NC/Nga, was studied.Material and methods: We used three groups of mice, stressed control (SC, stressed but not immunized with a mite antigen), non-stressed eczematous (NSE, not stressed but immunized) and stressed eczematous (SE, stressed and immunized).Results: There was a decrease of protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 positive nerve fibers in SE compared to SC mice, in both epidermis and dermis, also in SE compared to NSE mice. Also a decrease in growth associated protein (GAP)-43 positive nerve fibers was seen in SE compared to SC, in both epidermis and dermis.Conclusion: Chronic mild stress in atopic mice leads to decreased innervation in eczematous lesions.