High salt diet impairs dermal tissue remodeling in a mouse model of IMQ induced dermatitis

PLoS One. 2021 Nov 1;16(11):e0258502. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258502. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Recent animal studies, as well as quantitative sodium MRI observations on humans demonstrated that remarkable amounts of sodium can be stored in the skin. It is also known that excess sodium in the tissues leads to inflammation in various organs, but its role in dermal pathophysiology has not been elucidated. Therefore, our aim was to study the effect of dietary salt loading on inflammatory process and related extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in the skin. To investigate the effect of high salt consumption on inflammation and ECM production in the skin mice were kept on normal (NSD) or high salt (HSD) diet and then dermatitis was induced with imiquimod (IMQ) treatment. The effect of high salt concentration on dermal fibroblasts (DF) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was also investigated in vitro. The HSD resulted in increased sodium content in the skin of mice. Inflammatory cytokine Il17 expression was elevated in the skin of HSD mice. Expression of anti-inflammatory Il10 and Il13 decreased in the skin of HSD or HSD IMQ mice. The fibroblast marker Acta2 and ECM component Fn and Col1a1 decreased in HSD IMQ mice. Expression of ECM remodeling related Pdgfb and activation phosphorylated (p)-SMAD2/3 was lower in HSD IMQ mice. In PBMCs, production of IL10, IL13 and PDGFB was reduced due to high salt loading. In cultured DFs high salt concentration resulted in decreased cell motility and ECM production, as well. Our results demonstrate that high dietary salt intake is associated with increased dermal pro-inflammatory status. Interestingly, although inflammation induces the synthesis of ECM in most organs, the expression of ECM decreased in the inflamed skin of mice on high salt diet. Our data suggest that salt intake may alter the process of skin remodeling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Body Weight
  • Cell Movement
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dermatitis / pathology*
  • Dermis / pathology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Humans
  • Imiquimod / adverse effects*
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Probiotics / metabolism
  • Sodium Chloride, Dietary / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cytokines
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Sodium Chloride, Dietary
  • Imiquimod

Grants and funding

T.T. was awarded grant K125470 from the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFI) (https://nkfih.gov.hu/). A.J.Sz. was awarded grant 2020-4.1.1-TKP2020 from the Ministry for Innovation and Technology (https://kormany.hu/innovacios-es-technologiai-miniszterium); grant STIA-KFI-2020 from Semmelweis Science and Innovation Fund (https://semmelweis.hu) and grant 20382-3/2018 FEKUTSTRAT from NKFI. D.P. was awarded grant NKFI 124549. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.