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Regulation of the cutaneous allergic reaction by humidity
Author(s) -
Hosoi Junichi,
Hariya Takeshi,
Denda Mitsuhiro,
Tsuchiya Toru
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
contact dermatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0536
pISSN - 0105-1873
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0536.2000.042002081.x
Subject(s) - humidity , lymph , immunology , allergen , population , immune system , allergic contact dermatitis , chemistry , toxicology , medicine , biology , allergy , pathology , physics , environmental health , thermodynamics
Humidity is 1 of the environmental factors which regulate skin conditions. Effects of humidity on the cutaneous immune reaction were examined. Contact hypersensitivity to 2,4,6‐trinitrochlorobenzene was elicited in C57BL/6 mice. The reaction was greater in mice housed under low humidity conditions (about 10%) for 2 days, at either the induction or elicitation phase, than in mice housed under rather high humidity conditions (80%). After housing under controlled humidity for 2 days, the number of I‐A positive cells was 16% higher in the epidermis exposed to the dry condition. The increased population of FITC‐positive cells were in regional lymph nodes after painting of FITC during housing under lower humidity. Our study demonstrated that the cutaneous immune reaction is regulated by environmental humidity and suggested 2 possible mechanisms, i.e., increase in Langerhans cells and increased penetration of allergen with low humidity.