Hypoxia Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived Exosomes Suppress IL-5 and STAT3 Gene Expression in a Calcipotriol-Induced Atopic Dermatitis Mouse Model

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by Th2-mediated immune dysregulation and activation of inflammatory signaling pathways. Hypoxia mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes (EH-MSCs) have emerged as a promising cell-free therapeutic approach because of their potent immunomodulatory properties. This study evaluated the effects of EH-MSCs on IL-5 and STAT3 gene expression in a calcipotriol-induced AD mouse model. Thirty female C57BL/6 mice were divided into five groups (n = 6/group): healthy control, AD-like + NaCl, AD-like + dexamethasone, AD-like + EH-MSCs (100 μg/kg body weight), and AD-like + EH-MSCs (200 μg/kg body weight). AD-like lesions were induced by topical calcipotriol, and treatments were administered by subcutaneous injection on days 15 and 19. Relative IL-5 and STAT3 gene expression in dorsal skin tissue was quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Calcipotriol significantly upregulated IL-5 and STAT3 expression compared with healthy controls. EH-MSCs treatment significantly reduced the expression of both genes, with the 200 μg/kg dose producing the greatest suppression of STAT3 (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that EH-MSCs attenuate Th2-mediated inflammation and inflammatory signaling, supporting their potential as a novel cell-free therapeutic strategy for atopic dermatitis.