Diet‐induced obesity aggravates NK cell–mediated contact hypersensitivity reaction in Rag1−/− mice

• Published in: Contact dermatitis Vol. 85; no. 3; pp. 307 - 316
• Main Authors: Kowalczyk, Paulina, Majewska‐Szczepanik, Monika, Strzępa, Anna, Biała, Dominika, Szczepanik, Marian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adiponectin; Adiponectin - metabolism; Adipose tissue; Animals; Cell culture; Cells, Cultured; Contact dermatitis; contact hypersensitivity; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - complications; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - immunology; Diet, High-Fat - adverse effects; Dinitrofluorobenzene; Disease Models, Animal; Flow Cytometry; Hepatocytes; High fat diet; Hypersensitivity; Inflammatory diseases; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Interleukin-12 - metabolism; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism; liver; Liver - metabolism; Lymphocytes T; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; natural killer cell; Natural killer cells; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - immunology; RAG1 protein; Recombinant Proteins - metabolism; γ-Interferon; natural killer cell; liver; contact hypersensitivity; obesity
• ISSN: 0105-1873; 1600-0536
• DOI: 10.1111/cod.13871

Background Previous studies showed that natural killer (NK) cells mediate contact hypersensitivity (CHS) reaction. Many reports are showing that obesity promotes several inflammatory diseases. It was shown that diet‐induced obesity (DIO) aggravates classical T cell–mediated CHS in mice. Objectives To determine whether the high‐fat diet (HFD)–induced obesity modulates antigen‐specific NK cell–mediated response. Methods We evaluated the effect of DIO on NK cell–mediated CHS reaction using a model of dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)–induced CHS in Rag1−/− mice. Results Rag1−/− mice fed HFD for 8 but not for 4 weeks developed aggravated CHS reaction determined by ear swelling measurement when compared to animals kept on normal diet (ND) prior to DNFB sensitization. The obese Rag1−/− mice presented the adipose tissue inflammation. Furthermore, in vitro analysis showed that feeding with HFD significantly increases interferon γ (IFN‐γ) and interleukin (IL)‐12p70 and decreases adiponectin concentration in liver mononuclear cell (LMNC) culture supernatants. The flow cytometry analysis of LMNC revealed that HFD treatment prior to DNFB sensitization increases the percentage of NK1.1+IFN‐γ+ cell population and affects the development and maturation of NK1.1+ cells. Conclusions In summary, current results suggest that the DIO significantly modulates the local and systemic inflammatory response, contributing to exacerbation of the CHS response mediated by liver NK cells.