an increasing trendp = 0.273
Compared with the control groups, IMQ-treated groups had the following changes: 1) interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-23, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels were raised significantly in both serum and lesional skin (all p < 0.001); 2) retinol levels in lesional skin increased slightly ( p = 0.364), but no change was evident in serum retinol levels; 3) STRA6 was upregulated in both lesional skin ( p = 0.021) and serum ( p = 0.034); 4) RBP4 levels were elevated in serum ( p = 0.042), but exhibited only an increasing trend ( p = 0.273) in lesional skin; and 5) proteins and enzymes that mediate retinoic acid formation and transformation were upregulated in lesional skin.