Phenotypical Characteristics of the Immune Cells in Allergic Contact Dermatitis, Atopic Dermatitis and Pityriasis Rosea

Abstract

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a cell-mediated, delayed type IV immunologic reaction. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that results from a complex interaction between immunologic, genetic, and environmental factors. Pityriasis rosea (PR) is a self-limited eruption of unknown etiology. Immune cell infiltrate is a constant feature in the inflammatory skin diseases. Here, we performed phenotypical characterization of the immune cells in ACD, AD and PR (ten cases each). We performed immunohistochemical stains for B cells (CD20), T cells (CD3), histiocytes (CD68) and T cells with cytotoxic activity (granzyme-B). The data were compared with findings in 20 specimens of normal skin. The results were scored as mean values of positively stained immune cells. Immunohistochemistry showed significantly high counts of immune cells in lesional skin (ACD, AD and PR) compared to the normal one (p < 0.05). In the lesional skin, the immune cells were composed predominantly of CD3(+) T lymphocytes and CD68(+) cells (histiocytes). Some of the CD3(+) cells were granzyme B(+). The counts of some immune cells (CD3(+) and CD68(+)) were high in ACD compared to AD and PR. The counts of CD20(+) and granzyme B(+) cells were high in PR compared to ACD and AD. However, these differences did not reach the level of statistical significance. The present data describe the profile of the immune cell infiltrate in AD, ACD and PR. The cell-mediated immunity seems to have critical role in the development of these lesions.

Red Cell Distribution Width and Mean Platelet Volume in Patients With Pityriasis Rosea

“…The first clinical presentation is a scaly erythematous plaque named “herald” patch than fallowing secondary skin eruption distributed along the skin tension line in most of cases. The immunohistochemical studies revealed that it is a cell-mediated immunoreaction composed of predominantly CD3 + T lymphocytes and CD68 + histiocytes [ 12 ]. Viral agents, autoimmunity, psychogenic status and numerous drugs have been proposed as triggered factors of PR [ 13 ].…”

Intracellular versus extracellular granzyme B in immunity and disease: challenging the dogma

“…[161][162][163][164]166,168,173,176 GrB expression in most of these diseases was found to be localized to CTLs and GrB-specific disease implications were almost exclusively believed to be through intracellular CTLmediated apoptosis of keratinocytes and other resident cell types. As more cellular sources of GrB have been identified as of late and the emerging role of extracellular GrB activity gains traction, determining other GrB sources and examining the importance of extracellular GrB activity will be a necessity in dermatological research involving GrB.…”

Subsets of T lymphocytes in the lesional skin of pityriasis rosea

“…Therefore, we proposed that weakened Th1 response is most likely to contribute to the pathogenesis of PR. 2 Hussein et al 8 performed immunohistochemical stains for B-cells (CD20), T-cells (CD3), histiocytes (CD68) and T-cells with cytotoxic activity (granzyme-B) in PR and found significantly higher counts of immune cells in lesional skin compared to the normal skin. In the lesional skin, the immune cells were mainly CD3(+) T lymphocytes and CD68(+) cells (histiocytes).…”