METHOD OF SCREENING INHIBITOR BY USING INDUCTION OF INTERLEUKIN 18 PRODUCTION BY KERATINOCYTE, METHOD OF INDUCING ATOPIC DERMATITIS-LIKE SYMPTOM AND UTILIZATION OF THE SAME

摘要

It is intended to provide various methods appropriately usable in clarifying the onset mechanism of atopic dermatitis (AD) and symptoms similar thereto and a remedy therefor with the use of the phenomenon of inducing the production of interleukin 18 (IL-18) by kerationcytes (KC) and methods of utilizing the same. IgE expression at a high level in the serum, which is observed in an AD-like lesion, can be reproduced by, for example, applying Staphylococcus aureus-origin protein A (SpA) on mouse skin or the like or transplanting a skin piece having an AD-like inflammatory lesion to a mouse or the like. Thus, it becomes possible to screen, for example, an inhibitor of the induction of IL-18 production by KC.