Hapten-Specific Antibodies in Allergic Contact Dermatitis in the Guinea Pig

Abstract

A guinea pig model was used to investigate the potential role of hapten-specific antibodies in allergic contact dermatitis. Hapten-specific antibodies of both the IgG1, IgG2 and IgM (sub)classes could be readily detected by ELISA in sera obtained after single or repeated exposure to the allergens 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) or 4-ethoxymethylene-2-phenyloxazolone. Experiments in which animals were strongly boostered with Freund’s complete adjuvant support previous reports that hapten-specific antibodies are able to transfer contact skin reactions with a delayed time course into naive recipients. In contrast, epicutaneous sensitization procedures never allowed transfer of such reactivity. Upon transfer of immune sera to previously sensitized animals, existing allergic contact dermatitis was unaffected, except for a distinct suppression of induration, but not erythema, in the DNCB system. In actively sensitized animals, antibody-related suppression of induration was never observed. Hapten-specific hyposensitivity, as induced by repeated epicutaneous exposure, was also not related to circulating antibody levels. Our findings do not support the view that hapten-specific antibodies should be reconsidered as playing a potentially important role in allergic contact dermatitis.

Selective Impairment of T Lymphocyte Activation following Contact Sensitization with Oxazolone

“…The data contained within this report demonstrate that the active regulatory events which result from oxazolone sensitization and which influ ence LNC proliferation are selective for T lympho cytes. Many skin-sensitizing chemicals, in addition to inducing contact allergy, provoke anti-hapten anti body responses [12][13][14][15], and the studies reported here reveal that, while a single epicutancous application of oxazolone depressed subsequent lymph node T cell proliferation, mice were primed to mount a secondary antibody response. The results of autoradiographic analyses provide additional evidence that the depres sion of lymphocyte proliferation during primary and secondary responses to oxazolone is T cell-selective.…”

Effect of Lithospermi Radix on Contact Dermatitis Induced by Dinitrofluorobenzene in Mice

“…A guinea pig model was used to investigate the potential role of hapten-specific antibodies in allergic contact dermatitis. Hapten-specific antibodies of both the IgG1, IgG2 and IgM (sub) classes could be detected by using ELISA in sera [ 16 ]. In our results, repeated paintings with DNFB elevated serum levels of total immunoglobulin and IgG1.…”

Immediate and Delayed (Late-Phase) Dermal Contact Sensitivity Reactions in Guinea Pigs

“…The Askcnase group [2,5,[7][8][9] showed that the systemic administration of specific IgGl and IgE antibodies from oxazolone-sensitized guinea pigs can mediate CBH responses, but, to our knowledge, no other laboratory has confirmed this observation. In fact, another laboratory reported that the systemic administra tion of immune sera from guinea pigs that had been sensi tized by epicutaneous applications of oxazolone could not transfer CBH responses [27], Our own studies confirmed those of the Askcnase group [2,7]. We found that the two contact sensitizers, oxazolone and DNCB, induced imme diate (10 to 30 min) hypersensitivity, as well as delayed (24-hour) CBH reactions, both in actively sensitized guinea pigs and in guinea pigs locally sensitized intradermally by antigen-specific antiserum and its IgGl com ponent.…”