Langerhans' cell distribution in drug eruption.
The number in and distribution of Langerhans' cells were studied in 11 patients with a maculopapular drug eruption. The Langerhans' cells (LC) were identified with a monoclonal antibody to OKT6 antigen, by employing an immunofluorescence technique. Skin biopsies were taken from lesional and non-lesional skin during the acute stage of the disease. LC in the lesional biopsies increased in number by 66% (p less than 0.001) and displayed more intense staining and more prominent dendrites than did LC from non-lesional skin. Control biopsies, taken from identical sites at least 4 weeks after the eruption disappeared, exhibited a cell distribution similar to the non-lesional acute stage (p = N.S.). Delivery of drugs via the circulation and their distribution into the skin may cause a type IV immune reaction due to LC activation by a drug-carrier complex.
Department of Dermatology, Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel.
D I
DI
Dascalu
Y
Y
Kletter
M
M
Baratz
S
S
Brenner
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies