Abstract:

Objective To investigate the expression of lymphotoxin-β and its receptor in the skin of a mouse model of allergic contact dermatitis （ACD）. Methods BALB/c female mice at 6 to 8 weeks of age were randomly divided into the experiment group （n = 15） and normal control group （n = 10）. Topical 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene （DNFB, 0.5%） was used to establish a model of ACD in the experiment group followed by challenge with DNFB （0.2%） at the right external ear on the 6th day. The normal control mice remained untreated. The right external ear was resected from all of the mice 24 hours after the challenge and divided into 2 parts for the measurement of mRNA and protein expressions of lymphotoxin-β and lymphotoxin-β receptor by fluorescence-based real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Results The median mRNA expression levels of lymphotoxin-β and lymphotoxin-β receptor were 3.630 and 1.148 respectively in the experimental mice, with the interquartile range being 1.187 and 0.617 respectively, and were both 1.000 in the control mice with the interquartile range being both 0.000. There was a significant difference between the experimental and control group in the mRNA expression levels of lymphotoxin-β and lymphotoxin-β receptor （P < 0.01）. Immunohistochemistry showed a significant increase in the expression of lymphotoxin-β and lymphotoxin-β receptor proteins in the experimental group compared with the control group （P < 0.01）. Conclusion There is an increment in the mRNA and protein expressions of lymphotoxin-β and lymphotoxin-β receptor in the lesions of ACD in mice.

Key words: allergic contact dermatitis