A recent study by North Carolina State University has found that neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, are involved in the early stages of atopic dermatitis (AD) flares in dogs. This research is considered an initial step toward understanding how these immune cells contribute to allergic skin responses and may have implications for people with atopic dermatitis.
Atopic dermatitis is a form of eczema linked to allergic reactions and presents as inflamed, itchy skin patches. While several types of immune cells are known to be involved in the disease, little was previously understood about the role of neutrophils.
“We came across a previous study that showed an association between neutrophils and AD in a mouse model, so we wanted to follow up in a canine model,” said Santosh Mishra, associate professor of molecular biomedical sciences at NC State and corresponding author of the study.
The research team examined skin samples from four dogs with house dust mite-induced AD and compared them with samples from five healthy control dogs. Using immunofluorescent staining techniques, they measured the presence of neutrophils at 24-, 48-, and 96-hour intervals after exposure.
Their findings revealed that neutrophils appear early during an allergic response, reach their highest levels around 48 hours after exposure, and decrease by 96 hours.
“A neutrophil’s main role in the immune system is to clear away foreign bodies,” Mishra explained. “They release chemicals that recruit other cells to the site to either dampen or heighten the immune response. At this point, we don’t know whether they’re there to recruit other immune cell types, or to clear invaders away – and it’s possible that they’re doing both – but 48 hours marks the peak of their activity.”
The researchers plan further studies on how neutrophils interact with other immune cells during flareups of AD.
“Skin is a complex thing,” Mishra added. “That neutrophils played a role in allergic response in AD wasn’t known until recently. Now we have another pathway to look at in trying to find therapeutics.
“There are important translational aspects here as well,” Mishra said. “Dogs share our environment and many of our disease processes are similar. Improved understanding of how AD works in dogs will lead to better outcomes both for them and for humans.”
The study was published on December 16, 2025, in Frontiers in Allergy and received support from NC State University as well as the National Institutes of Health. Chie Tamamoto-Mochizuki served as first author; she is currently affiliated with the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
