Biochemical and cellular changes in skin and lymph during Arthus and mixed hypersensitivity reactions in rabbits

Abstract

The object of this investigation was to determine whether the pathological events which occur during the Arthus and mixed hypersensitivity reaction could be monitored biochemically and whether changes in enzyme concentrations would reflect the severity of tissue damage either in the skin itself or in the lymph draining the lesion. The initial increase in vascular permeability which resulted in oedema formation in the tissue was reflected by a large increase in the water and protein content of the tissues, however, there was no increase in either the protein concentration or flow of the lymph. The increases in the total enzyme content in the lesion could not always be related to the macroscopic appearance of the reaction site. However, the severity of the reaction did appear to be related to the concentration of cathepsin D in the oedema fluid present at the reaction site. Although the release of enzymes was reflected in the local lymph in the case of LDH and beta-glucuronidase there was no increase in of the concentration cathepsin D in the lymph draining the lesion.

The effect of anti‐inflammatory compounds on the biochemical changes in the Arthus reaction

“…The effects of anti-inflammatory drugs on the total extracellular cathepsin D activity in the oedema fluid of the Arthus lesion are shown in the table. In untreated animals there was a high concentration of cathepsin D in the oedema fluid which was previousIy found to be related to the degree of tissue injury (Butler and Lewis, 1976).…”

Acute Inflammation Following Intraperitoneal Injection of Antigen into Actively Sensitised Rats

“…Immunologically induced inflammation has been studied in cutaneous tissues by as sessment of the biochemical and cellular changes in skin and lymph during Arthus and mixed hypersensitivity reactions in rab bits [3]. Studies have been made of the me diators and cell counts during reversed pas sive Arthus reactions in the pleural cavities of rats [18].…”