Glyoxal-induced exacerbation of pruritus and dermatitis is associated with staphylococcus aureus colonization in the skin of a rat model of atopic dermatitis

•Exposure to glyoxal aggravated the symptoms in AD rats, but did not induce AD in naïve rats.•S. aureus skin colonization and subsequent expression of antimicrobial peptides were increased after exposure to glyoxal.•Exposure to glyoxal elevated the production of Th1-related cytokines such as TNF-α and IFN-γ in the AD lesional skin.