Dissolving Microneedles as Skin Allergy Test Device

Biol Pharm Bull. 2017;40(4):531-534. doi: 10.1248/bpb.b16-00768.

Abstract

The possibility of using dissolving microneedles (DMs) as a skin allergy test device was studied in rats. Poly-L-arginine was used as a model allergen. Dextran was used to prepare three kinds of DM array chips containing different doses of poly-L-arginine: 17.1±0.5 µg (low-dose DM), 42.2±0.8 µg (medium-dose DM), and 87.4±1.1 µg (high-dose DM); each 1.0 cm2 chip contained 300 DMs. The mean lengths of the low-, medium-, and high-dose DM were 489±3, 485±3, and 492±1 µm and mean diameters of the base were 301±2, 299±1, and 299±2 µm, respectively. Furthermore, for the low-, medium-, and high-dose DM, the administered doses of poly-L-arginine were estimated to be 9.3±1.9, 31.1±1.3, and 61.9±4.7 µg and the scratching behavior per 30 min was 9.8±3.4, 60.4±8.3, and 95.7±10.6 times, respectively. These results demonstrate the dose dependence of the immunoreactivity of the poly-L-arginine DMs, suggesting that DMs can be used an alternative skin allergy device.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Cutaneous
  • Allergens / administration & dosage*
  • Allergens / adverse effects
  • Animals
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Hypersensitivity / etiology
  • Hypersensitivity / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Microinjections / methods*
  • Needles
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Skin Absorption / drug effects*
  • Skin Absorption / physiology
  • Skin Tests / methods

Substances

  • Allergens