Acetone–Ether–Water Mouse Model of Persistent Itch Fully Resolves Without Latent Pruritic or Cross-Modality Priming

Hyperalgesic priming is a model of the transition from acute to chronic pain. Whether a similar mechanism exists for “pruritic priming” of itch is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that itchy skin in a commonly used mouse model of dry skin pruritus develops latent sensitization after resolutio...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zachary K. Ford, Adam J. Kirry, Steve Davidson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Dermatopathology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2296-3529/12/1/5
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850204552318418944
author Zachary K. Ford
Adam J. Kirry
Steve Davidson
author_facet Zachary K. Ford
Adam J. Kirry
Steve Davidson
author_sort Zachary K. Ford
collection DOAJ
description Hyperalgesic priming is a model of the transition from acute to chronic pain. Whether a similar mechanism exists for “pruritic priming” of itch is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that itchy skin in a commonly used mouse model of dry skin pruritus develops latent sensitization after resolution. Acetone–ether–water (AEW) treatment induced a dry and itchy skin condition in the mouse cheek that elicited site-directed scratching behavior. After cessation of treatment and the complete resolution of AEW-induced scratching, histaminergic and non-histaminergic pruritogens were administered to the cheek to test for altered site-directed scratching and wiping behavior. Each pruritogen was also tested following the resolution of carrageenan-induced nociceptor hypersensitivity to test for cross-modality priming. Peak AEW-induced scratching occurred 24 h after the final day of treatment, and 5 days were required for scratching levels to return to baseline. Likewise, epidermal thickening was the greatest on the final treatment day and completely returned to baseline after 5 days. After the resolution of itchy cheek skin, acute histamine- and non-histamine-evoked scratching and wiping behaviors were unchanged, nor were scratching and wiping behaviors to acute pruritogens altered after the resolution of carrageenan-induced hypersensitivity. The results indicate that persistent itch due to dry skin likely resolves completely, without producing a latent primed response to subsequent pruritic stimuli. We conclude that the mechanisms regulating hyperalgesic priming are likely distinct from pruritic signaling in the dry and itchy skin model.
format Article
id doaj-art-c91aa1a643cb4f6a9e7f1364596bd40e
institution OA Journals
issn 2296-3529
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Dermatopathology
spelling doaj-art-c91aa1a643cb4f6a9e7f1364596bd40e2025-08-20T02:11:16ZengMDPI AGDermatopathology2296-35292025-02-01121510.3390/dermatopathology12010005Acetone–Ether–Water Mouse Model of Persistent Itch Fully Resolves Without Latent Pruritic or Cross-Modality PrimingZachary K. Ford0Adam J. Kirry1Steve Davidson2Neuroscience Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USADepartment of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USANeuroscience Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USAHyperalgesic priming is a model of the transition from acute to chronic pain. Whether a similar mechanism exists for “pruritic priming” of itch is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that itchy skin in a commonly used mouse model of dry skin pruritus develops latent sensitization after resolution. Acetone–ether–water (AEW) treatment induced a dry and itchy skin condition in the mouse cheek that elicited site-directed scratching behavior. After cessation of treatment and the complete resolution of AEW-induced scratching, histaminergic and non-histaminergic pruritogens were administered to the cheek to test for altered site-directed scratching and wiping behavior. Each pruritogen was also tested following the resolution of carrageenan-induced nociceptor hypersensitivity to test for cross-modality priming. Peak AEW-induced scratching occurred 24 h after the final day of treatment, and 5 days were required for scratching levels to return to baseline. Likewise, epidermal thickening was the greatest on the final treatment day and completely returned to baseline after 5 days. After the resolution of itchy cheek skin, acute histamine- and non-histamine-evoked scratching and wiping behaviors were unchanged, nor were scratching and wiping behaviors to acute pruritogens altered after the resolution of carrageenan-induced hypersensitivity. The results indicate that persistent itch due to dry skin likely resolves completely, without producing a latent primed response to subsequent pruritic stimuli. We conclude that the mechanisms regulating hyperalgesic priming are likely distinct from pruritic signaling in the dry and itchy skin model.https://www.mdpi.com/2296-3529/12/1/5itchdry skinprimingpruritisAEWepidermis
spellingShingle Zachary K. Ford
Adam J. Kirry
Steve Davidson
Acetone–Ether–Water Mouse Model of Persistent Itch Fully Resolves Without Latent Pruritic or Cross-Modality Priming
Dermatopathology
itch
dry skin
priming
pruritis
AEW
epidermis
title Acetone–Ether–Water Mouse Model of Persistent Itch Fully Resolves Without Latent Pruritic or Cross-Modality Priming
title_full Acetone–Ether–Water Mouse Model of Persistent Itch Fully Resolves Without Latent Pruritic or Cross-Modality Priming
title_fullStr Acetone–Ether–Water Mouse Model of Persistent Itch Fully Resolves Without Latent Pruritic or Cross-Modality Priming
title_full_unstemmed Acetone–Ether–Water Mouse Model of Persistent Itch Fully Resolves Without Latent Pruritic or Cross-Modality Priming
title_short Acetone–Ether–Water Mouse Model of Persistent Itch Fully Resolves Without Latent Pruritic or Cross-Modality Priming
title_sort acetone ether water mouse model of persistent itch fully resolves without latent pruritic or cross modality priming
topic itch
dry skin
priming
pruritis
AEW
epidermis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2296-3529/12/1/5
work_keys_str_mv AT zacharykford acetoneetherwatermousemodelofpersistentitchfullyresolveswithoutlatentpruriticorcrossmodalitypriming
AT adamjkirry acetoneetherwatermousemodelofpersistentitchfullyresolveswithoutlatentpruriticorcrossmodalitypriming
AT stevedavidson acetoneetherwatermousemodelofpersistentitchfullyresolveswithoutlatentpruriticorcrossmodalitypriming