Adhesion molecules in the nickel allergic reaction.
Nickel is the major cause of allergic contact dermatitis, and to increase our understanding of this immune reaction we studied changes in the expression of adhesion molecules on mononuclear cells during nickel stimulation in vivo and in vitro. Nickel-induced lymphocyte cultures were used in vitro, the cells being examined with monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) and by flow cytometry. Mononuclear cells from skin biopsies of in vivo cutaneous nickel reactions were studied with Mabs and immunohistochemistry. The expression of adhesion molecules in vitro was differential: the number of cells carrying CD11c, CD29, CDw49b, CDw49d, CDw49e, CDw49f, CD54, CD56 and ELAM-1 being significantly overrepresented among the nickel-induced lymphoblasts whereas the number of blasts carrying CD44 was underrepresented and those of CD11a, CD18, CD58 and LAM-1 remained unchanged. CD4+ cells gained adhesion molecules during nickel-induced blast transformation whereas CD8+ cells lost most of their adhesion molecules. The in vivo results were in agreement with the in vitro ones except that CDw49b, CDw49f, CD56 and ELAM-1 could not be detected in a 96-hour nickel reaction in vivo. In conclusion, the nickel allergic reaction favors the expression of certain adhesion molecules, and this expression is induced on CD4+ cells while CD8+ cells tend to lose such molecules. The changes were more sensitively detected with the in vitro method.
Silvennoinen-Kassinen
S
S
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Turku, Finland.
Vainio
O
O
Karvonen
J
J
Kauppinen
M
M
Kallioinen
M
M
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000737:chemistry; D009532:Nickel / Q000009:adverse effects*
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D009532:Nickel