Significantly elevated expression of PF4 (platelet factor 4) and eotaxin in the NOA mouse, a model for atopic dermatitis

The NOA (Naruto Research Institute Otsuka Atrichia) mouse, an animal model of allergic or atopic dermatitis, exhibits ulcerative skin lesions associated with accumulation of mast cells and eosinophils, a significantly increased level of serum IgE, and scratching behavior. To investigate genetic contributors to the pathological process of dermatitis in this murine model, we looked for genes that were expressed differently in spleens of NOA mice compared with controls, by means of a differential display method. We cloned and characterized one gene that revealed a significantly higher expression in the NOA mouse than in control strains. Its cDNA consisted of 570 nucleotides, including 315 nucleotides of open reading frame encoding 105 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence identified this gene as the murine homologue of rat and human platelet factor (PF) 4s (89% identity and 64% identity in 105 amino acids, respectively). PF4 is a heparin-binding protein that is released from alpha-granules of activated platelets and belongs to the family of chemokine molecules that contain a CXC motif. Our results suggested that increased expression of PF4 may play an important role in the etiology of allergic dermatitis.