Fig. 5

ELISA of vitamin A-related molecules and typical pro-inflammatory cytokines in the skin of the study groups. All results describe comparison with the control groups. (a) Retinol levels were slightly higher in lesional skin (p = 0.364). (b) RBP4 expression was elevated in the IMQ groups (p = 0.142). (c) STRA6 expression also showed an increasing trend in the IMQ groups (p = 0.395). No obvious differences were observed in the two IMQ groups. (d) IL-23 increased sharply in the lesional skin of group A (**p = 0.0092) and B (***p < 0.001). Between the two IMQ groups, more IL-23 accumulated in group B (*p = 0.031). (e) IL-17A increased in the lesional skin of both IMQ groups (***p < 0.001). Group B had a higher level of IL-17A in lesional skin (***p < 0.001). (f) TNF-a expression was highest in group B lesional skin compared with group A (*p = 0.030) and the controls (***p < 0.001)