• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.713-719
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• 2011

In this study, we evaluated whether Lunasin Enriched Soybean (LES) suppressed 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) induced allergic contact dermatitis in vivo. In the group treated with DNCB alone, erythema and hemorrhage in the skin were observed, while the application of LES after DNCB treatment modulated erythema and hemorrhage similar to the untreated group. In histopathological analysis of the skin, DNCB-treated groups showed increased skin thickness compared to the untreated groups, while the treatment of LES dose-dependently modulated skin thickness. Also, hypertrophy and hyperkeratosis of the epidermis, intracellular edema and infiltration of inflammatory cells were observed in the group treated with DNCB alone, while treatment of LES inhibited these inflammatory changes. DNCB also induced a significant up-regulation of iNOS and COX-2 expression, as compared to the untreated groups. However, the treatment of LES significantly decreased the down-regulation of iNOS and COX-2 expression, as compared to DNCB-treated groups. Also, LES reduced the IgE level in DNCB-stimulated groups. And lunasin from LES translocated the nucleus of the cells in the skin of Sprague-Dawley rats. Taken together, it is thought that LES has the potential to be used as an alternative treatment for allergic contact dermatitis.