Flare-up Reaction on Murine Contact Hypersensitivity

• Published in: Skin research Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 23 - 29
• Main Author: YAMASHITA, Noriko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Meeting of Osaka Dermatological Association 1989
• Subjects: flare-up reaction; murine contact hypersensitivity; re-challenge system
• ISSN: 0018-1390; 1884-541X
• DOI: 10.11340/skinresearch1959.31.23

In this experiment, “re-challenge system” was established in BALB/c mice to study a local immunologic reaction of contact hypersensitivity (CH). Briefly, mice were sensitized by a single painting with 25μl of 0.5% dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) on the shaved back skin on day 0. On day 5, they were challenged with 20μl of 0.2% DNFB on each left ear, and on day 33, challenged again with either painting 20μl of 0.2% DNFB on their both ears or intravenous administration of 15mg of dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS). As the result, marked ear swelling was observed by the second challenge only on the first challenged site and these responses were antigen specific. In vitro experiment, it was shown that only the cells from the left cervical lymph node were enhanced to proliferate by DNBS which was added into the culture medium. These results suggest that there is a local immunologic mechanism to respond to the specific antigen only on the site in which CH reaction has been previously elicited. The results from this “ re-challenge system” may apply to explain some pathologic mechanisms of such chronic diseases as fixed drug eruption or chronic contact dermatitis which recur easily in the same skin lesions.