Immune response to Staphylococcus aureus in atopic dermatitis.
The skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) is severely colonized with Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, a study was conducted to assess some basic features of the S. aureus-specific immune response in patients with AD and healthy nonatopic individuals. Some particular features were found: a selective hyporesponsiveness to purified S. aureus cell walls (PCW) in delayed skin reactivity; half of our AD patients showed serum IgE to PCW and soluble S. aureus protoplast antigens; elevated PCW-IgE did not correlate with positive immediate skin reactions to whole S. aureus and their cell walls; regional lymphadenopathy but not impetiginization was associated with increased PCW-IgE and high total IgE. It is suggested that these changes in the immune response to S. aureus are related to the chronic S. aureus colonization of the skin.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012882:Skin Tests; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007073:Immunoglobulin E