OBJECTIVES: The nickel and cobalt present in many industrial working environments and consumer products. They are two of the leading causes of allergic contact dermatitis, which is a typical delayed(type IV) hypersensitivity reaction. However, the mechanism by which nickel and cobalt causes this pathology is not well known. The nickel and cobalt induced contact dermatitis is mediated primarily through macrophages. This mechanism is similar to the autotoxicity procedure for NO. Therefore, this study was designed to examine whether the metals could modulate NO production and how the metals may affect ATP production and cell viability. In summary, the purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of NO in the nickel and cobalt induced cytotoxicity. METHODS: This study is based on observations of cultures of RAW 264.7 cells which are originated from a tumor of Balb/c mouse that was induced by Abelson murine leukemia virus. RAW 264.7 cells were treated with either Ni, Co, Ni plus Co, or Nmonomethyl-L- arginine(NMLA) for 24-72 h. The cytotoxicity of the nickel and cobalt was measured by cell viability and NO2-, and mitochondrial function was evaluated by adenosine triphosphate(ATP) production in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, the morphology of cells was observed using an inverted microsope. RESULTS: The NO2- synthesis of RAW 264.7 cells increased with increasing concentrations of Ni and Co up to 50 microM after 24 and 48 h of exposure to Ni and Co but then decreased if the concentration was greater than 50 microM and the time period was greater than 48 h. However, the viability of cells was decreased by Ni and Co exposure in a dose and time dependent manner. Therefore, 50 microM Ni or Co and 48 h of treatment were used in this study. A complete inhibition of NO2- synthesis by Ni or/and Co occurred when iNOS inhibitor, NMLA, were pretreated prior to addition of Ni or/and Co, whereas Ni or/and Co induced decrease of synthesis of ATP and viability completely recovered when NMLA were pretreated prior to addition of Ni or/and Co. Ni or/and Co(50 microM) induced the characteristic morphological features of cytotoxicity which is characterized by a shrinkage of cytoplasm and irregular shape of the cells, but the pretreatment of NMLA resulted in a recovered morphological change of the cells to their normal appearance. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that NO plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the cytotoxicity of nickel and cobalt, and nickel and cobalt may exert their toxicities by means of modulation of NO production. The results from this study may facilitate further understanding the role of NO on nickel and cobalt induced immune and inflammatory processes.
Abelson murine leukemia virus ; Adenosine ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Cell Survival ; Cobalt* ; Cytoplasm ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Hypersensitivity ; Macrophages ; Metals ; Mice ; Nickel* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Pathology

OBJECTIVES: Nickel (Ni) is present in many industrial working environments and consumer products, and is one of the leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis, which is a typical delayed (type IV) hypersensitivity reaction. However, the mechanism by which nickel causes this pathology is not well known. The contact dermatitis induced by nickel is mediated, primarily, through macrophages. This property was similar to autotoxicity related nitric oxide (NO) production. NO mediated cytotoxicity was dependent on both H2O2 and peroxynitrite (OONO-). The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of NO/H2O2 in the cytotoxicity induced by nickel. Therefore, this study was designed to examine whether nickel could modulate NO/H2O2 production and how the Ni may affect ATP production, intracellular GSH level, and cell viability. METHODS: This study was based on the observations of cultures of RAW 264.7 cells, which originated from a tumor in a Balb/c mouse that had been induced by the Abelson murine leukemia virus. RAW 264.7 cells were treated with either Ni, N- onomethyl-L- arginine (NMLA), catalase, and DTT for 24-72 h. The cytotoxicity of the nickel was measured via the cell viability and NO2-, H2O2, GSH, and the mitochondrial function was evaluated by the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in the RAW 264.7 cells. RESULTS: The NO2- synthesis of RAW 264.7 cells increased with the increase in concentrations of Ni up to 50-micrometer, after 24 and 48 h of exposure, but then decreased at concentrations greater than 50-micrometer, and with time periods exceeding 48 h. In contrast, viability of cells and intracellular GSH level decreased in the presence of Ni in a dose and time dependent manner. However, the H2O2 synthesis of RAW 264.7 cells was not changed in the all experimental conditions. The NO2- synthesis of the cells was higher than control, whereas ATP, GSH and viability were lower than control in addition of Ni and the pretreatment of catalase or DTT prior to addition of Ni. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that NO plays an important role in the cytotoxicity of Ni. Cytotoxicity of Ni may exert through modulation of NO production and associate with a decrease in intracellular GSH levels.
Abelson murine leukemia virus ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Arginine ; Catalase ; Cell Survival ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Hydrogen Peroxide* ; Hydrogen* ; Hypersensitivity ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Nickel* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Pathology ; Peroxynitrous Acid

This experiment pursued the time course of contact hypersensitivity to 2,4-dinitro-1-fluorobenzene (DNFB) and histologic changes of the cutaneous reaction in mice. The contact hypersensitivity reached a maximum 4 days after sensitization (96.9 +/- 6.7% vs. 22.7 +/- 1.3% in control) and persisted for 3 weeks. The cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction showed peak reactivity at 24 hr after challenge (96.2 +/- 4.7% vs. 11.5 +/- 1.7% in control), and persisted up to 96 hr (13.2 +/- 2.1%). Prime histologic changes observed in this experiment were the exocytosis of lymphoid cells and epidermal thickening which appeared at 20 hr after challenge. Edema, vasodilatation and increased mast cells were observed within the dermis at 4-8 hr. However, edema and vasodilatation disappeared gradually, but numbers of mast cell increased up to 96 hr. The dermal infiltrates were maximum at the 28-72 hr after challenge.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Contact/immunology/*pathology ; Dinitrofluorobenzene/*pharmacology ; Ear ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nitrobenzenes/*pharmacology ; Time Factors

The Korean list of occupational skin diseases was amended in July 2013. The past list was constructed according to the causative agent and the target organ, and the items of that list had not been reviewed for a long period. The revised list was reconstructed to include diseases classified by the International Classification of Diseases (10th version). Therefore, the items of compensable occupational skin diseases in the amended list in Korea comprise contact dermatitis; chemical burns; Stevens-Johnson syndrome; tar-related skin diseases; infectious skin diseases; skin injury-induced cellulitis; and skin conditions resulting from physical factors such as heat, cold, sun exposure, and ionized radiation. This list will be more practical and convenient for physicians and workers because it follows a disease-based approach. The revised list is in accordance with the International Labor Organization list and is refined according to Korean worker's compensation and the actual occurrence of occupational skin diseases. However, this revised list does not perfectly reflect the actual status of skin diseases because of the few cases of occupational skin diseases, incomplete statistics of skin diseases, and insufficient scientific evidence. Thus, the list of occupational diseases should be modified periodically on the basis of recent evidence and statistics.
Burns, Chemical/pathology ; Dermatitis, Contact/pathology ; Humans ; Occupational Diseases/*economics ; Occupational Exposure ; Republic of Korea ; Skin/*pathology ; Skin Diseases/*economics/*pathology ; Skin Diseases, Infectious/pathology ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/pathology ; Vitiligo/pathology ; Workers' Compensation/*economics

OBJECTIVES: Ozone is widely applied to treat allergic skin diseases such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, and contact dermatitis. However, the specific mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of ozonated oil on treating 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and the underling mechanisms. METHODS: Besides the blank control (Ctrl) group, all other mice were treated with DNCB to establish an ACD-like mouse model and were randomized into following groups: a model group, a basal oil group, an ozonated oil group, a FcεRI-overexpressed plasmid (FcεRI-OE) group, and a FcεRI empty plasmid (FcεRI-NC) group. The basal oil group and the ozonated oil group were treated with basal oil and ozonated oil, respectively. The FcεRI-OE group and the FcεRI-NC group were intradermally injected 25 µg FcεRI overexpression plasmid and 25 µg FcεRI empty plasmid when treating with ozonated oil, respectively. We recorded skin lesions daily and used reflectance confocal microscope (RCM) to evaluate thickness and inflammatory changes of skin lesions. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, real-time PCR, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), and immunohistochemistry were performed to detct and analyze the skin lesions. RESULTS: Ozonated oil significantly alleviated DNCB-induced ACD-like dermatitis and reduced the expressions of IFN-γ, IL-17A, IL-1β, TNF-α, and other related inflammatory factors (all P<0.05). RNA-seq analysis revealed that ozonated oil significantly inhibited the activation of the DNCB-induced FcεRI/Syk signaling pathway, confirmed by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry (all P<0.05). Compared with the ozonated oil group and the FcεRI-NC group, the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, IL-17A, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and other inflammatory genes in the FcεRI-OE group were significantly increased (all P<0.05), and the mRNA and protein expression levels of FcεRI and Syk were significantly elevated in the FcεRI-OE group as well (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Ozonated oil significantly improves ACD-like dermatitis and alleviated DNCB-induced ACD-like dermatitis via inhibiting the FcεRI/Syk signaling pathway.
Animals ; Mice ; Dinitrochlorobenzene/metabolism* ; Skin/metabolism* ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; Interleukin-17/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact/pathology* ; Dermatitis, Atopic/chemically induced* ; Signal Transduction ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

Trimellitic anhydride (TMA) is widely used industrially to make epoxy and alkyd resins, plasticizers and surfactants. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether contact hypersensitivity (CHS) is induced by repeated TMA challenge and the role of TNF-a and IgE in the TMA-induced CHS. The repetition of the challenge enlarged the extent of an early and a late phase of CHS in TNF-alpha+/+ (B6129SF2/J) and Balb/c mice. In the late phase of TMA-induced CHS, the peak of ear swelling responses by single challenge showed at 24 h after challenge, but the peak was observed at 8 h after repeated challenge. In the TNF-a knockout TNF-alpha-/- (B6;129S-Tnf(tm1Gk1) mice, the repetition of the TMA challenges enlarged the extent of the late phase of CHS, but less than those in TNF-alpha+/+ mice. Injection of anti-TNF-alpha antibody into the peritoneal cavity of Balb/c mice significantly decreased the extent of the late phase of CHS. Subcutaneous injection of anti-IgE antibody into Balb/c mice also decreased the extent of the late phase of CHS in dose-dependent manner. Histologically, infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and eosinophils was more pronounced in repeatedly TMA-challenged TNF-alpha+/+ and Balb/c mice than in the TNF-alpha-/- mice and anti-TNF-alpha or anti-IgE antibodies treated Balb/c mice. These results indicate that mice sensitized by TMA could possibly offer a useful model to study the mechanism of CHS, and TNF-a and IgE may act as potential modulators in the late phase of TMA-induced CHS. Neutralization of TNF-alpha and IgE by anti-TNF-a or anti-IgE antibodies may provide therapeutic tools for the treatment of TMA-induced CHS.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Contact/genetics/*immunology/*metabolism/pathology ; Ear/pathology ; Immunoglobulin E/*immunology ; Leukocytes ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Knockout ; Phthalic Anhydrides/*toxicity ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Time Factors ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/deficiency/genetics/*metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of epicutaneous application of anticoagulant warfarin, by examining the presence of tissue injury and immune/inflammatory activity in exposed skin.

METHODSRats were exposed to warfarin by applying 10 μg of warfarin-sodium to 10-12 cm(2) skin (range 0.8-1 μg per 1 cm(2)) for 3 consecutive days. Tissue injury was evaluated by lipid peroxidation, histomorphological changes and signs of reparative activity in skin. T cell infiltration and selected aspects of epidermal cell activity were examined as indicators of immune/inflammatory skin response to warfarin application.

RESULTSRepeated warfarin application exerted no effect on skin metabolic viability, but resulted in tissue injury (increased malondialdehyde, MDA, production, evident histo-morphological changes in epidermis and dermis depicting cell injury and death). Increased numbers of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA(+)) cells indicated reparative processes in injured skin. Infiltration of CD3(+) cells (T lymphocytes) along with the increased production of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) by epidermal cells from warfarin-treated skin and their co-stimulatory effect in an in vitro T-cell activation assay demonstrated immunomodulatory effects of epicutaneous warfarin.

CONCLUSIONPresented data have documented tissue damage associated with immune/inflammatory activity in skin exposed to warfarin. Observed effects are relevant to immunotoxic potential of this anticoagulant in settings of external exposure.

Animals ; CD3 Complex ; genetics ; metabolism ; Dermatitis, Contact ; pathology ; Epidermis ; cytology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; physiology ; Inflammation ; metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rodenticides ; pharmacology ; Skin ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes ; physiology ; Warfarin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-inflammatory potential of Ampelopsis japonica on contact dermatitis (CD). METHODS: A total of 38 Balb/c mice were divided into 5 groups by using a random number table: normal mice (n=6), CD model mice (n=8), CD mice treated with 3 or 30 mg/kg of the ethanol extract of A. japonica (EEAJ, n=8) and 7.5 mg/kg dexamethasone treated CD mice (DEX, n=8). CD was induced using topical application of 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene in mice. EEAJ and DEX were topically applied to the shaved skin of each mouse for 6 days, and the effects of EEAJ and DEX on skin lesions and color, histopathological abnormalities such as epidermal hyperplasia and immune cell infiltration, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) production were investigated. The effects on changes in body weights and spleen/body weight ratio were also investigated. RESULTS: EEAJ at 30 mg/kg significantly prevented scaling, erythema and enlargement of skin weight compared to using carbon dioxide. EEAJ also prevented epithelial hyperplasia and immune cell infiltrations induced by repeated application of DNFB (P<0.01). In addition, EEAJ significantly lowered levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The anti-inflammatory effects of EEAJ were similar to those of DEX. CONCLUSION A. japonica may be a new therapeutic agent with the potential to reduce or replace corticosteroids and its mechanisms are closely related to regulation of TNF-α production.
Ampelopsis ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use* ; Cytokines ; Dermatitis, Contact/pathology* ; Dinitrofluorobenzene/therapeutic use* ; Hyperplasia/drug therapy* ; Interleukin-6 ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Plant Extracts/therapeutic use* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

This study is to elucidate the immunoregulation mechanisms of artesunate (AST) on allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Pharmacodynamics analyses, HE staining, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to explore the effects of AST on the related cytokines, transcription factor and signaling molecule of ACD respectively. The results indicated that topical administration of AST not only reduced the increase of ear swelling, spleen index and inflammatory cells infiltration in ACD mice, but also inhibited remarkably the expression of IFN-gamma, T-bet and NF-kappaB p65. It's suggested that AST could exhibit suppressive effects on inflammatory response and immune function of ACD, which indicates the possibility of developing AST as a novel immunoregulatory agent in the treatment of ACD and other immune-related diseases.
Administration, Topical ; Animals ; Artemisinins ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Ear ; pathology ; Female ; GATA3 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; drug therapy ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Interferon-gamma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Molecular Structure ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; T-Box Domain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of panaxynol (PAN) on delayed type hypersensitivity and possible mechanism.

METHODAllergic contact dermatitis (ACD) was induced by DNCB as a delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) model to observe effect of PAN on auricle inflammation including pathological injury. Proliferation of T lymphocytes was induced by ConA and measured by MTf method. IFN-gamma secretion of splenocyte induced by ConA was detected by ELISA.

RESULTThe swelling degree of auricle and pathological injury in ACD mice was reduced significantly by treated with PAN in induction phase. Proliferation of T lymphocytes induced by ConA in vitro was inhibited significantly by PAN, By contrast, no detectable effect was observed in resting splenocyte. IFN-y induced by ConA in splenocytes was inhibited markedly by PAN from 10 micromol x L(-1) and from 6 h.

CONCLUSIONThe results showed that DTH was inhibited by PAN mainly in induction phase and this effect may be related with the inhibition on T lymphocytes proliferation and secretion of IFN-gamma.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Concanavalin A ; metabolism ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; drug therapy ; immunology ; metabolism ; Diynes ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Fatty Alcohols ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Interferon-gamma ; secretion ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Spleen ; drug effects ; pathology ; secretion ; T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; pathology