Amphiregulin is not essential for induction of contact hypersensitivity.
BACKGROUND
Amphiregulin (AR) is expressed in Th2 cells, rather than Th1 cells, and plays an important role in Th2 cell/cytokine-mediated host defense against nematodes. We also found earlier that AR mRNA expression was strongly upregulated in inflamed tissue during Th2 cell/cytokine-mediated fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS), suggesting a contribution of AR to the induction of those responses.


METHODS
To elucidate the role of AR in the induction of FITC- or dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced CHS, AR-deficient mice were sensitized and/or challenged with FITC or DNFB epicutaneously. The levels of FITC-mediated skin dendritic cell (DC) migration and FITC-specific lymph node cell proliferation and cytokine production were assessed by flow cytometry, [3H]-thymidine incorporation and ELISA, respectively, after FITC sensitization. The degree of ear swelling, the activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) in inflammatory sites and the levels of FITC-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) in sera were determined by histological analysis, colorimetric assay and ELISA, respectively, after FITC challenge.


RESULTS
DC migration and FITC-specific lymph node cell proliferation and cytokine production were normal in the AR-deficient mice. Ear swelling, tissue MPO and EPO activities and FITC-specific serum Ig levels were also similar in AR-deficient and -sufficient mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Amphiregulin is not essential for the induction of FITC- or DNFB-induced CHS responses in mice.
Yagami
Akiko
A
Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development.
Kajiwara
Naoki
N
Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development,; Atopy Research Center, Juntendo University.
Oboki
Keisuke
K
Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development.
Ohno
Tatsukuni
T
Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development.
Morita
Hideaki
H
Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development,; Department of Pediatrics, Keio University, School of Medicine.
Sunnarborg
Susan W
SW
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, NC, USA.
Okumura
Ko
K
Atopy Research Center, Juntendo University.
Ogawa
Hideoki
H
Atopy Research Center, Juntendo University.
Saito
Hirohisa
H
Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development,; Atopy Research Center, Juntendo University.
Nakae
Susumu
S
Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development,; Atopy Research Center, Juntendo University,; Frontier Research Initiative, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: snakae@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
D066258:Amphiregulin; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene / Q000008:administration & dosage; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D047209:Eosinophil Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D066258:Amphiregulin; C587849:Areg protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene; D047209:Eosinophil Peroxidase; D009195:Peroxidase