An alternative view of corticosteroid cross-reactivity is proposed, based on 2 immune recognition sites on the corticosteroid molecule, 1 influenced by C 6/9 substitution and 1 by C 16/17 substitution. A case report is adduced in support of such a hypothesis.Key words: corticosteroid; cross-reaction; allergic contact dermatitis; tixocortol pivalate; hydrocortisone; budesonide; medicaments; structure-activity relationships. C Munksgaard, 2000.
Accepted for publication 9 August 1999Cross-reactions occur between chemicals with similar structures. However, structure is not the only determinant of whether such a reaction will occur (1, 2). On the skin, penetration of the allergen determines whether the immune system will be exposed, and if the substance is a prohapten, its susceptibility to metabolism or degradation determines whether antigen is formed.
Metabolism and DegradationThe available evidence suggests that with corticosteroids, the allergen is not the steroid itself but a degradation product. Metabolism and degradation within the skin might therefore be a factor that influences the development of a cross-reaction. It has been suggested that corticosteroids degrade to a reactive corticosteroid-glyoxal that then reacts with arginine ( Fig. 1) to form antigen (3, 4). Clinically, it has been shown that positive patch test reactions to corticosteroid are correlated with patch test reactions to the corresponding corticosteroid-glyoxal (5, 6). This suggests that the corticosteroid-glyoxal degradation product is involved in corticosteroid allergy. In vitro, the amount of degradation product, which subsequently reacted with arginine, has been shown to vary between corticosteroids and to be correlated with the frequency of allergic reactions to a steroid (7).The corticosteroid-glyoxal is formed on the C17 side chain (Fig. 2). Alterations to this chain might therefore affect whether corticosteroid-glyoxal is formed. For practical purposes, the main alterations to this side-chain occur at the C21 position. In the skin, an esterase rapidly splits any ester from the molecule, resulting in a C21 hydroxyl group. In vivo, it has been estimated that within 5 h, 80% in rats, and 50% in dogs, of topically applied hydrocortisone-17-butyrate-21-propionate