Circulating CD4+T Cells with Skin-homing Properties in Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

901 Circulating CD4+T Cells with Skin-homing Properties in Atopic Dermatitis G. N. Drannik1, A. I. Kurchenko1, L. M. DuBuske2; 1Dept. Clinical Immunology and Allergology, National Medical University, Kiev, UKRAINE, 2Immunology Research Institute of New England, Gardner, MA. RATIONALE: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by the influx of activated T cells into skin lesions, determined by expression of cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen (CLA). This study assesses the number of circulating CLA+T cells in blood of AD patients. METHODS: 35 patients ( 25 years of age) with chronic AD were examined. The diagnosis was based on the criteria of Hanifin and Rajka. All patients had positive allergy skin prick tests. Peripheral blood T cell subpopulation was analyzed by direct immunofluorescence. Flow-cytometry was performed with an EPICS XL (Coulter). RESULTS: CLA expression of peripheral blood T cells of both AD patients and healthy subjects revealed that the share of T cells with CLApositivity was greater among the subpopulation of CD4+Tcells than among CD8+T cells. In the subpopulation of CD4+T cells, the number of cells that express CLA was significantly greater in blood of AD patients (29.3±3.4%) when compared with healthy subjects (11.5±2.4%), but there were no significant differences in levels of CLA+CD8+ cells (AD 5.3±1.4 % versus healthy subjects 4.4±2.3%). CLA+CD4+T cells but not CLA+CD8+ T cells are expanded and predominate in the peripheral blood of AD patients. CONCLUSIONS: The influx and accumulation of T cells in AD inflamed skin is maintained by the activation of production of specific J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL Abstracts S233 VOLUME 117, NUMBER 2