Summary
A total of 56 persons were studied for the presence of epidermal mediators in tuberculin skin tests, allergic patch tests, or irritant reactions from sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) 3%. Epidermis was obtained with the suction blister technique, homogenized, dialysed, and ultrafiltered, leaving substances larger than 3 kDa for further studies. The epidermal homogenate was assayed for interleukin-1 (IL-1) activity and for the presence of epidermal lymphocyte chemotactic factor (ELCF). Our results show that simple occlusion of the skin in non-eczematous persons does not induce any significant amount of mediators. However, if the person in question suffers from irritant eczema, then occlusion per se will induce a significant amount of ELCF, but not IL-1. Both mediators are induced following a cell-mediated immune reaction in the skin irrespective of the presence of eczema. In patients with cutaneous allergy, the mediators are expressed in normal-looking, non-tested skin, when an allergic patch test is applied elsewhere. This may in part explain the excited skin syndrome.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Larsen CG, Ternowitz T, Larsen FG, Thestrup-Pedersen K (1988) Epidermis and lymphocyte interactions during a tuberculin skin reaction. I. Increased ETAF/IL-1 like activity, expression of tissue antigens and mixed skin lymphocyte reactivity. Arch Dermatol Res 280: 83–89.
Larsen CG, Ternowitz T, Larsen FG, Thestrup-Pedersen K (1988) Epidermis and lymphocyte interactions during an allergic patch test reaction. Increased activity of ETAF/IL-1, epidermal derived lymphocyte chemotactic factor and mixed skin lymphocyte reactivity in persons with type IV allergy. J Invest Dermatol 90: 230–233.
Larsen CG, Ternowitz T, Larsen FG, Zachariae C, Thestrup-Pedersen K (1988) ETAF/Interleukin-1 and epidermal lymphocyte chemotactic factor in epidermis overlying an irritant patch test. Submitted for publication.
Luger TA, Stadler BM, Luger BM, Sztein MB, Schmidt JA, Hawley-Nelson P, Grabner G, Oppenheim JJ (1983) Characteristics of an epidermal cell thymocyte-activating factor (ETAF) produced by human epidermal cells and a human squamous cell carcinoma cell line. J Invest Dermatol 81: 187–193.
Mitchell JC (1975) The angry back syndrome: eczema creates eczema. Contact Dermatitis1: 193.
Ternowitz T, Thestrup-Pedersen K (1986) Epidermis and lymphocyte interactions during a tuberculin skin reaction. II. Epidermis contains specific lymphocyte chemotactic factors. J Invest Dermatol 87: 613–616.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1989 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Larsen, C.G., Ternowitz, T., Thestrup-Pedersen, K. (1989). Epidermal Mediators for Lymphocytes in Contact Eczema. In: Frosch, P., Dooms-Goossens, A., Lachapelle, JM., Rycroft, R.J.G., Scheper, R.J. (eds) Current Topics in Contact Dermatitis. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74299-6_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74299-6_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-74301-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-74299-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive