Abstract 18: Targeted Epidermal Ablation of EGFR Causes Local and Systemic Inflammation

The study demonstrated that targeted epidermal ablation of EGFR in a mouse model led to significant local and systemic inflammatory responses. Mice with EGFR ablation exhibited a pronounced skin phenotype, including aberrant hair growth, inflammation, and cycles of hair growth and loss. These mice also showed increased levels of inflammatory mediators and hematological abnormalities, indicating that the absence of EGFR triggered both local and systemic inflammation. The findings suggested that EGFR plays a crucial role in maintaining skin immuno-homeostasis, and the model could be useful for further investigation into EGFR's regulatory functions in skin inflammation and tumor microenvironment modification.