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Mechanisms of drug-induced allergic contact dermatitis

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Abstract

Allergic contact dermatitis is induced by a wide variety of drugs that trigger specific immune responses following topical exposure. Identified chemical stuctures involved in such reactions include the mercuric and thiosalicylic acid groups of thimerosal, the diphenylketone group of the anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen, the amide or ester structure of local anesthetics, and the side-chain and thiazolidine ring of β-lactams. The T cell responses to such compounds involve CD4+ and CD8+ αβ+ T lymphocytes and also CD4–/CD8– γδ+ T cells. Although "T helper 2" cytokine production by drug-specific human T cells from patients with allergic contact dermatitis has been described, T helper 1-like and T cytotoxic 1-like responses clearly play key roles in this cutaneous reaction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INSERM U 461, Faculté de Pharmacie Paris Sud, Châtenay-Malabry, France

    H. Lebrec, N. Bachot, I. Gaspard, S. Kerdine & M. Pallardy

  2. Allergologie, Hôpital de l'Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

    M.T. Guinnepain & J. Laurent

Authors
  1. H. Lebrec
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  2. N. Bachot
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  3. I. Gaspard
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  4. S. Kerdine
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  5. M.T. Guinnepain
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  6. J. Laurent
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  7. M. Pallardy
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Lebrec, H., Bachot, N., Gaspard, I. et al. Mechanisms of drug-induced allergic contact dermatitis. Cell Biol Toxicol 15, 57–62 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007554707345

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