Mathematical Dermatology: The Dawn of a New Multidisciplinary Research Field
Researchers used mathematical modeling to analyze the shapes of skin eruptions in CSU and link these morphological features to the in vivo pathological dynamics of the condition.
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) has a clear and visible appearance on the skin surface, but the mechanism underlying the various shapes of wheals in vivo remains largely obscured.
To address this, a research group led by Professor Sungrim Seirin-Lee at Kyoto University Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi) leveraged hierarchical mathematical modeling to analyze the shapes of skin eruptions and link these morphological features to the in vivo pathological dynamics of CSU such as autoimmune responses, cellular infiltrates, and activation of the coagulation pathway by the complement system. By incorporating both the intravascular and extravascular dynamics using in vitro experimental data, they classified the skin eruption patterns into five potential types.
Using these patterns, the researchers developed the Criteria for Classification of Eruption Geometry (EGe criteria) according to their relations with tissue factor and histamine dynamics of mast cells, which act on blood vessels and induce wheal formation. The researchers then demonstrated the validity of their mathematical model to classify CSU according to these criteria in 105 patients and found the reliability to be as high as 87.6% when analyzed by dermatologists.
“This study was the first to use mathematical models to clarify the pathophysiology of skin eruptions according to their morphology and can help to pave the way for alternative treatment methods,” says Seirin-Lee in a news release. For example, patients might take photos of their skin eruptions to provide data for a definitive diagnosis of underlying causes, or the effectiveness of treatment can be monitored over time.
“In addition, this study shows the promise of mathematical models in the understanding the mechanisms of human-specific diseases, where animal models are not available,” Seirin-Lee says
Through these efforts, the authors hope to pioneer mathematical dermatology as a new multidisciplinary research field for practical use, integrating mathematical science and clinical dermatology for elucidating the pathophysiology of skin diseases and developing new strategies for managing intractable skin diseases.
PHOTO CAPTION: A research group led by Professor Sungrim Seirin-Lee at Kyoto University Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi) leveraged hierarchical mathematical modeling to analyze the shapes of skin eruptions and link these morphological features to the in vivo pathological dynamics of chronic spontaneous urticaria CSU.
PHOTO CREDIT: Kanon Tanaka (https://www.kanontanaka-illustration-webdesign-science.com/index.html)