The kinetics of allergen-induced transcription of messenger RNA for monocyte chemotactic protein-3 and RANTES in the skin of human atopic subjects: relationship to eosinophil, T cell, and macrophage recruitment

• Published in: The Journal of experimental medicine Vol. 181; no. 6; pp. 2153 - 2159
• Main Authors: Ying, S, Taborda-Barata, L, Meng, Q, Humbert, M, Kay, A B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The Rockefeller University Press 01.06.1995
• Subjects: Adult; Allergens; Biopsy; Chemokine CCL5; Chemokine CCL7; Chemotactic Factors - biosynthesis; Cytokines; Dermatitis, Atopic - immunology; Dermatitis, Atopic - metabolism; Dermatitis, Atopic - pathology; Eosinophils - immunology; Female; Gene Expression; Humans; Kinetics; Lymphokines - biosynthesis; Macrophages - immunology; Male; Monocyte Chemoattractant Proteins; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; Skin - immunology; Skin - metabolism; Skin - pathology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Transcription, Genetic
• DOI: 10.1084/jem.181.6.2153
• ISSN: 0022-1007

The C-C chemokines RANTES and monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP-3) are potent chemoattractants in vitro for eosinophils and other cell types associated with allergic reactions. We tested the hypothesis that the allergen-induced infiltration of eosinophils, T cells, and macrophages in the skin of atopic subjects is accompanied by the appearance of mRNA+ cells for RANTES and MCP-3. Cryostat sections were obtained from skin biopsies from six subjects 6, 24, and 48 h after allergen challenge. Tissue was processed for immunocytochemistry (ICC) and for in situ hybridization using 35S-labeled riboprobes for RANTES and MCP-3. In contrast to diluent controls, allergen provoked a significant increase in mRNA+ cells for MCP-3, which peaked at 6 h and progressively declined at 24 and 48 h. This paralleled the kinetics of total (major basic protein positive [MBP]+) and activated (cleaved form of eosinophil cationic protein [EG2]+) eosinophil infiltration. The allergen-induced expression of cells mRNA+ for RANTES was also clearly demonstrable at 6 h. However, the numbers were maximal at 24 h and declined slightly at the 48-h time point. The number of mRNA+ cells for RANTES paralleled the kinetics of infiltration of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells whereas the number of CD68+ macrophages was still increasing at 48 h. These data support the view that MCP-3 is involved in the regulation of the early eosinophil response to specific allergen, whereas RANTES may have more relevance to the later accumulation of T cells and macrophages.