Previously, we found that astaxanthin (AST) elicited an anti-inflammatory response in an experimental atopic dermatitis (AD) model. However, the use of AST was limited because of low bioavailability and solubility. We hypothesized that liposome formulation of AST could improve this. In this study, we compared the anti-inflammatory and anti-dermatotic effects of liposomal AST (L-AST) and free AST. We evaluated the effect of L-AST on a phthalic anhydride (PA)-induced animal model of AD by analyzing morphological and histopathological changes. We measured the mRNA levels of AD-related cytokines in skin tissue and immunoglobulin E concentrations in the serum. Oxidative stress and transcriptional activities of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB were analyzed via western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PA-induced dermatitis severity, epidermal thickening, and infiltration of mast cells in skin tissues were ameliorated by L-AST treatment. L-AST suppressed AD-related inflammatory mediators and the inflammation markers, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in PA-induced skin conditions. Oxidative stress and expression of antioxidant proteins, glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), were recovered by L-AST treatment in skin tissues from PA-induced mice. L-AST treatment reduced transcriptional activity of STAT3 and NF-κB in PA-induced skin tissues. Our results indicate that L-AST could be more effective than free AST for AD therapy.

以前，我们发现虾青素（AST）在实验性特应性皮炎（AD）模型中引起抗炎反应。但是，由于生物利用度和溶解度低，AST的使用受到限制。我们假设AST的脂质体制剂可以改善这一点。在这项研究中，我们比较了脂质体AST（L-AST）和游离AST的抗炎和抗皮肤病作用。我们通过分析形态和组织病理学变化，评估了L-AST对邻苯二甲酸酐（PA）诱导的AD动物模型的影响。我们测量了皮肤组织中AD相关细胞因子的mRNA水平和血清中的免疫球蛋白E浓度。分析了信号转导和转录激活因子3（STAT3）和核因子（NF）-κB的氧化应激和转录活性通过免疫印迹和酶联免疫吸附测定。通过L-AST处理可改善PA引起的皮炎的严重程度，表皮增厚以及肥大细胞在皮肤组织中的浸润。L-AST在PA诱发的皮肤疾病中抑制了AD相关的炎症介质和炎症标志物，诱导型一氧化氮合酶（iNOS）和环氧合酶（COX）-2。通过L-AST处理，从PA诱导的小鼠皮肤组织中恢复了氧化应激和抗氧化蛋白谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶-1（GPx-1）和血红素加氧酶-1（HO-1）的表达。L-AST处理可降低PA诱导的皮肤组织中STAT3和NF-κB的转录活性。我们的结果表明，L-AST可能比游离AST更有效。