{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,13]],"date-time":"2026-06-13T13:22:59Z","timestamp":1781356979185,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,20]],"date-time":"2023-07-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1689811200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Immunol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Imiquimod (IMQ) is a topical agent that induces local inflammation <jats:italic>via<\/jats:italic> the Toll-like receptor 7 pathway. Recently, an IMQ-driven skin inflammation model was developed in healthy volunteers for proof-of-pharmacology trials. The aim of this study was to profile the cellular, biochemical, and clinical effects of the marketed anti-inflammatory compound prednisolone in an IMQ model. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 24 healthy volunteers. Oral prednisolone (0.25 mg\/kg\/dose) or placebo (1:1) was administered twice daily for 6 consecutive days. Two days after treatment initiation with prednisolone or placebo, 5 mg imiquimod (IMQ) once daily for two following days was applied under occlusion on the tape-stripped skin of the back for 48\u00a0h in healthy volunteers. Non-invasive (imaging and biophysical) and invasive (skin punch biopsies and blister induction) assessments were performed, as well as IMQ <jats:italic>ex vivo<\/jats:italic> stimulation of whole blood. Prednisolone reduced blood perfusion and skin erythema following 48\u00a0h of IMQ application (95% CI [\u221226.4%, \u22124.3%], p = 0.0111 and 95% CI [\u22127.96, \u22122.13], p = 0.0016). Oral prednisolone suppressed the IMQ-elevated total cell count (95% CI [\u221279.7%, \u221216.3%], p = 0.0165), NK and dendritic cells (95% CI [\u221268.7%, \u22125.2%], p = 0.0333, 95% CI [\u221276.9%, \u221213.9%], p = 0.0184), and classical monocytes (95% CI [\u221276.7%, \u221226.6%], p = 0.0043) in blister fluid. Notably, TNF, IL-6, IL-8, and Mx-A responses in blister exudate were also reduced by prednisolone compared to placebo. Oral prednisolone suppresses IMQ-induced skin inflammation, which underlines the value of this cutaneous challenge model in clinical pharmacology studies of novel anti-inflammatory compounds. In these studies, prednisolone can be used as a benchmark.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2023.1197650","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,21]],"date-time":"2023-07-21T08:55:05Z","timestamp":1689929705000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Oral prednisolone suppresses skin inflammation in a healthy volunteer imiquimod challenge model"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Salma","family":"Assil","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Thomas P.","family":"Buters","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pieter W.","family":"Hameeteman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Charlie","family":"Hallard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicoline","family":"Treijtel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tessa","family":"Niemeyer \u2013 Van der Kolk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marieke L.","family":"de Kam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Edwin F. 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