Contact allergy to styrene and related chemicals.
One patient, sensitive to styrene, cross-reacted at patch testing to 2-,3-and 4-vinyltoluene (2-,3-and 4-methylstyrene) and to the metabolites styrene epoxide and 4-vinylphenol (4-hydroxy-styrene). It is assumed that styrene is a prohapten metabolized in the skin by aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) to styrene epoxide acting as the true hapten. Styrene occurs in nature and as a synthetic product. Vinyltoluenes (methylstyrenes) occur as synthetic products in plastics. 4-vinylphenol (4-hydroxystyrene) occurs frequently in different ciders, wines, foods and berries, e.g. cloudberry.
D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D006241:Haptens / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D010328:Patch Tests; D010636:Phenols / Q000009:adverse effects; D020058:Styrene; D013343:Styrenes / Q000009:adverse effects*
D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D006241:Haptens; D010636:Phenols; D013343:Styrenes; C027142:vinyltoluene; D020058:Styrene; C013690:styrene oxide; C030626:4-vinylphenol