lactoferrin and Dermatitis--Contact

Immune contact dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin resulting from exposure to allergens in the environment. The aim of this study was to compare the actions of lactoferrin (LF), a natural immunomodulator, on the elicitation phases of the cellular and humoral, cutaneous immune responses to oxazolone and toluene diisocyanate (TDI), respectively. LF was given i.v. in a 10 mg/mouse dose, together with the eliciting doses of the antigens. The ear edema and the number of lymphocytes in the draining lymph nodes were measured. In addition, the production of IL-2 in the cultures of lymph node cells and the content of IL-4 in lymph node cells were determined. LF had a profound inhibitory effect on the eliciting phase of the immune response to oxazolone as measured by the ear edema and lymph node cell number. The suppressive effect of LF on the effector phase of the immune response to TDI was moderate. LF had some stimulatory effect on the ex vivo content of IL-4 in lymphocytes in the immune response to TDI. On the other hand, it significantly inhibited IL-2 in vitro production in the immune response to oxazolone. The data strongly suggest that LF exerted differential actions on the activities of antigen-specific Th1 and Th2 cells involved in respective types of the cutaneous immune responses.

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Allergens; Animals; Dermatitis, Contact; Immunity, Cellular; Immunity, Humoral; Interleukin-2; Interleukin-4; Lactoferrin; Lymph Nodes; Mice; Oxazolone; Skin; Th2 Cells; Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate

A skin window technique was used to study the morphology of leucocytes in upper dermis and exudate during nickel challenge in patients with contact allergy to nickel. Contact allergic patients and healthy volunteers tested with a skin widow without addition of nickel to the chamber medium served as controls. The morphology of the leucocytes in dermis was studied in biopsies taken 8, 24, or 48 h after skin window application, and in a parallel test the morphology of the exudate was examined by sequential collection of the chamber medium during a 48 h period. The infiltrate in dermis of contact allergic patients with nickel challenge in the chamber medium showed a time-dependent increase of mononuclear cells, eosinophils and basophils and a concomitant decrease of polymorphonuclear granulocytes, characteristic of a combined specific and unspecific inflammation. The morphology of the exudate in contact allergic patients exposed to nickel showed a dominance of polymorphonuclear granulocytes throughout the study period, while mononuclear cells, eosinophils and basophils were detected at a much lower quantity and with a considerable delay. Further, we studied the kinetics of the leucocyte granule proteins: lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, lysozyme and eosinophil cationic protein in exudate fluid in a parallel test. A significant higher flux was found for all during the second day of allergen exposure compared to contact allergic patients without allergen challenge as well as normal volunteers. The increased protein fluxes were not accompanied by an increased flux of polymorphonuclear granulocytes in the exudate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adult; Aged; Biopsy; Blood Proteins; Cell Cycle; Dermatitis, Contact; Eosinophil Granule Proteins; Exudates and Transudates; Female; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Delayed; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Male; Middle Aged; Neutrophils; Nickel; Peroxidase; Ribonucleases; Skin; Skin Window Technique