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Comparison of cytokine secretion profiles provoked in mice by glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde
Article first published online: 24 DEC 2001
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2222.1999.00437.x
Blackwell Science Ltd, Oxford
1365-2222/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=363d6ac7042b7535760df61b7393fd8e0a08e85f "Clinical & Experimental Allergy")
Additional Information
How to Cite
DEARMAN, BASKETTER, EVANS and KIMBER (1999), Comparison of cytokine secretion profiles provoked in mice by glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 29: 124–132. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2222.1999.00437.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 24 DEC 2001
- Article first published online: 24 DEC 2001
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- glutaraldehyde;
- formaldehyde;
- contact sensitization;
- respiratory sensitization;
- T lymphocytes;
- interleukin 4;
- interleukin 10;
- interferon-γ
Background
Glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde are commonly used sterilizing agents that are known skin sensitizers. There is some controversy, however, regarding their capacity to cause respiratory allergy. The authors have demonstrated previously that topical exposure of mice to chemical contact allergens such as 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) or respiratory allergens such as trimellitic anhydride (TMA) induces characteristic cytokine secretion profiles consistent with the selective activation of T helper 1 (TH1)- and TH2-type cells, respectively.
Objective
To investigate the quality of immune response provoked following topical exposure of mice to these materials.
Methods
BALB/c strain mice were exposed topically to 50% formaldehyde or to various concentrations of glutaraldehyde in acetone. Control animals were treated concurrently with the reference contact allergen DNCB (1% in acetone:olive oil [AOO]) or with the reference respiratory sensitizer TMA (10% in AOO). Thirteen days after the initiation of exposure, draining lymph node cells (LNCs) were cultured for 12–120 h and cytokine content of supernatants analysed by cytokine-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results
DNCB-α and formaldehyde-activated LNCs produced high levels of the TH1-type cytokine interferon γ, but little of the TH2-type products interleukins 4 and 10. TMA- and glutaraldehyde-stimulated LNCs displayed the converse TH2-type pattern of cytokine expression.
Conclusions
These data are consistent with glutaraldehyde, but not formaldehyde, having significant potential to cause allergic sensitization of the respiratory tract.