The skin: Target organ in immunotoxicology of small-molecular-weight compounds

Immunotoxicology studies two different effects of xenobiotics: immunosuppre ssion and dysregulation of immune responses leading to hypersensitivity or autoimmunity. The skin is a major target organ of immunotoxicity which is p rovoked by small-molecular-weight compounds. Methods may be helpful for imm unotoxicological investigations and screenings for adverse effects of xenob iotics which are used for diagnosis or studies on the pathophysiology of sk in disorders such as allergic contact dermatitis, cutaneous drug-allergic r eactions or autoimmune diseases of the skin. Examples include well-designed patch tests, assays involving antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic c ells, but also T lymphocytes, basophiles or keratinocytes. Copyright (C) 20 01 S. Karger AG, Basel.