An Experimental Murine Model to Study Lipoatrophia Semicircularis

Abstract

Lipoatrophia semicircularis is a benign pathology characterized by subcutaneous tissue atrophy that affects the skin and related structures. Its etiology remains unclear; however, in the recent few years, it has been proposed that electrostatic charges could be a potential factor. Based on this hypothesis, the aim of this work is to study the cause–effect relation between electrostatic energy and LS, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms. For this purpose, an experimental murine model was created using obese mice. One group served as a control and the other groups involved charging clothes with varying connections to the ground: through the skin, through the clothes or not connected to the ground). Skin biopsies showed that the most significant lesions, including lipophagic granulomas with inflammatory infiltrate, were found in the first group (connected to the ground through the skin). Lipophagic reactions without an inflammatory infiltrate were observed in the other groups subjected to electrical discharges. In the control mice, no histological changes were observed. Oxidative processes were also measured in lower limbs tissue. Malondialdehyde levels significantly increased in the lower limbs after electrostatic discharges. However, the presence of ground through a wire attached to highly conductive clothes around the thigh significantly reduced the effect of electrostatic charges on lipid peroxidation. To our knowledge, this is the first study in which an experimental model has been used to reproduce LS induced by electrostatic energy, suggesting a cause–effect relationship between electrostatic charge and discharge with fat tissue lesion.