Chemokine responses distinguish chemical-induced allergic from irritant skin inflammation: memory T cells make the difference.

Background: As clinical and histological features of allergic and irritant contact dermatitis share common characteristics, the differentiation between them in the preclinical and clinical evaluations of chemicals remains difficult.

Objective: To identify the differences in the underlying immunological mechanisms of chemical-induced allergic or irritant skin responses.

Methods: We systematically studied the involvement of chemokines in both diseases by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in mice and humans.

CCL1-CCR8 interactions: an axis mediating the recruitment of T cells and Langerhans-type dendritic cells to sites of atopic skin inflammation.

Atopic dermatitis represents a chronically relapsing skin disease with a steadily increasing prevalence of 10-20% in children. Skin-infiltrating T cells, dendritic cells (DC), and mast cells are thought to play a crucial role in its pathogenesis. We report that the expression of the CC chemokine CCL1 (I-309) is significantly and selectively up-regulated in atopic dermatitis in comparison to psoriasis, cutaneous lupus erythematosus, or normal skin.