The role of skin-homing T cells in extrinsic atopic dermatitis.
BACKGROUND
T cells that express Cutaneous Lymphocyte-Associated antigen (CLA) have the potential of migrating to the skin, and are hypothesized to play a role in cutaneous atopic disease.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the immune phenotype and cytokine responses to Der p 1 stimulation of CLA+ T cells in extrinsic atopic dermatitis (EAD).


METHODS
In vitro testing, with controls.


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained from EAD patients (n=27) and non-atopic healthy individuals (n=22). Phenotypic analysis of naive, CLA+ and non-CLA+ memory/effector CD4+ and CD8+ T cells used markers of cell activation, differentiation, adhesion, apoptosis and chemokine receptor expression. Cytokine responses in these cells were studied following Der p 1 stimulation.


RESULTS
CLA+ T cells from EAD patients expressed significantly higher levels of CD25, HLA-DR, CD38, CD71, CXCR1, CXCR2 and lower levels of bcl2, CCR5, CCR7, CXCR3, and CD62L (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In EAD patients, CLA+ T cells express increased levels of markers associated with activation, adhesion and apoptosis, show differences in the level of expression of differentiation markers and display a distinct chemokine receptor preference, compared with cells from healthy controls. These data suggest a significant role for CLA+ T cells in the pathogenesis of cutaneous atopic disease.
Seneviratne
S L
SL
MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, and Department of Dermatology, Churchill Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS. suran200@yahoo.co.uk
Black
A P
AP
Jones
L
L
Bailey
A S
AS
Ogg
G S
GS
D000328:Adult; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000032:analysis*; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; C063419:CTAGE1 protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C451162:Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus antigen p 1