N-acetylcysteine inhibits chromium hypersensitivity in coadjuvant chromium-sensitized albino guinea pigs by suppressing the effects of reactive oxygen species.
BACKGROUND
Chromium hypersensitivity is an important issue in occupational skin disease. When hexavalent chromium enters the cell, it can be reduced to trivalent chromium, resulting in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are considered to play an important role in the progression of allergic contact dermatitis. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) could increase glutathione levels in the skin and act as an antioxidant.


OBJECTIVE
We attempted to demonstrate that NAC could inhibit chromium hypersensitivity in a coadjuvant chromium-sensitized albino guinea pig model by counteracting the formation of ROS.


METHODS
We utilized a coadjuvant chromium-sensitized albino guinea pig model to evaluate both the severity of the skin reaction by intradermal and epicutaneous elicitation tests and the sensitization rate of chromium hypersensitivity in NAC-treated and NAC-untreated albino guinea pigs (GP). Furthermore, three ROS parameters, including H(2)O(2,) malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the skin and the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) in plasma, were analyzed in NAC-treated and NAC-untreated coadjuvant chromium-sensitized albino GP.


RESULTS
The severity of the skin reaction in the intradermal and epicutaneous elicitation test significantly diminished when the albino GP were treated with a dose of 1200 mg/kg/day of NAC. This dose also significantly decreased the sensitization rate of chromium hypersensitivity. In addition, treatment with 1200 mg/kg/day of NAC significantly reduced the H(2)O(2) and MDA levels in the skin and significantly increased the ORAC in the plasma of albino GP. Therefore, NAC could be a potential chemopreventative agent to prevent the progression of chromium hypersensitivity.
Wang
Bour-Jr
BJ
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan.
Guo
Yue-Liang
YL
Chang
Ho-Yuan
HY
Sheu
Hamm-Min
HM
Pan
Min-Hsiung
MH
Lee
Yu-Hsuan
YH
Wang
Ying-Jan
YJ
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002857:Chromium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D002857:Chromium; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine