Imiquimod induced ApoE-deficient mice might be a composite animal model for the study of psoriasis and dyslipideamia comorbidity

Abstract Background Psoriasis patients are at increased risk of developing lipid metabolism disturbances. Both psoriasis and dyslipideamia not only closely interact in disease development, but occur as mutual side effects in some medicine treatment. The interactive mechanism of the two diseases is complicated and still unclear. Objective Here, we proposed applying imiquimod on the dorsal skin of ApoE −/− mice to establish a composite animal model which formed psoriasiform skin lesions under hyperlipidemic condition. Method By comparison with corresponding wild-type(C57BL/6) mice, the composite mice model was evaluated by skin pathological features, lipid levels, immune inflammatory factors in order to clarify the diseases interplay mechanism. In addition, IL-17 mAb treatment was applied to observe the effect of IL-17 antibody on the composite animal model. Results The results verified that imiquimod-induced ApoE −/− mice model presented keratinocyte hyperplasia, parakeratosis, inflammatory cells infiltration and elevated serum lipid levels, and also reflected the complex interaction between inflammation and lipid metabolism. IL-17 mAb could inhibit psoriasis skin lesions with lipid accumulation via STAT3 pathway, but no influence on elevated serum cholesterol. Conclusions Imiquimod-induced ApoE −/− mice model presented the pathological features of psoriasis and dyslipideamia, which could be an ideal composite animal model for the study of pathogenesis and pharmacotherapeutics of psoriasis and dyslipideamia comorbidity.