title: Amphiregulin is not essential for induction of contact hypersensitivity.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yagami
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development,; Atopy Research Center, Juntendo University.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kajiwara
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development.
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oboki
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development.
authors.forename: Tatsukuni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development,; Department of Pediatrics, Keio University, School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Susan W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Sunnarborg
authors.affiliation: Atopy Research Center, Juntendo University.
authors.forename: Ko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.affiliation: Atopy Research Center, Juntendo University.
authors.forename: Hideoki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development,; Atopy Research Center, Juntendo University.
authors.forename: Hirohisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakae
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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