Method for Producing Avatar Mice as an Atopic Dermatitis Animal Model and Uses Thereof

Personalized Atopic Dermatitis Therapeutic Screening Using Patient-Derived Immune Cell-Transplanted Avatar Mice

This technology involves creating atopic dermatitis avatar mice by transplanting immune cells isolated from a patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells into immunodeficient mice, effectively replicating the patient's immune response. It also provides a screening method to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic or cosmetic candidate substances using this model.

Atopic dermatitis is caused by a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, immune, and skin barrier factors. Because triggers and exacerbating factors vary by patient, personalized treatment is essential. However, existing animal models have limitations in fully reflecting a patient's unique immune response, particularly the specific immune response triggered by house dust mites.

By co-transplanting patient-derived T cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells, this technology replicates house dust mite-specific immune responses in mice, allowing for the assessment of drug efficacy based on individual immune profiles. It can be applied to preclinical evaluation of new atopic drugs and efficacy testing for sensitive skin cosmetics, reducing development time and trial-and-error for personalized immunotherapies.

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Key Features:

• Isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells from an atopic dermatitis subject into CD3+ T cells, CD3-depleted PBMCs, CD14+ monocytes, or dendritic cells
• Injecting the isolated CD3+ T cells into immunodeficient mice selected from nude, NSG, or NOD-SCID models
• Injecting CD3-depleted peripheral blood mononuclear cells or CD14+ monocytes and dendritic cells to create the atopic dermatitis avatar mouse
• Treating the avatar mouse with candidate substances and screening for pharmaceutical or cosmetic compositions for treatment or improvement based on the alleviation of atopic dermatitis compared to control subjects

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the development of skin-specific atopic dermatitis therapeutics targeting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

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