L. Budinger et al., Preferential usage of TCR-V beta 17 by peripheral and cutaneous T cells innickel-induced contact dermatitis, J IMMUNOL, 167(10), 2001, pp. 6038-6044
Nickel (Ni) is one of the most common contact sensitizers in man, and Ni-in
duced contact dermatitis is considered as a model of hapten-induced delayed
type hypersensitivity. Previous studies indicated that Ni-reactive T cells
derived from Ni-allergic individuals preferentially express distinct TCR-V
beta chains. However, data on the TCR-V beta repertoire of Ni-responsive T
cells are not consistent. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify
the TCR-V beta receptors of Ni-responsive peripheral and cutaneous T cells
in a cohort of 17 donors with Ni-induced contact dermatitis in comparison
with those of 6 healthy controls. Peripheral NiSO4-responsive T lymphocytes
showed a significant overexpression of TCR-V beta 17 and the frequency of
TCR-V beta 17(+) T cells correlated significantly with the in vitro reactiv
ity of PBMC to NiSO4. In addition, the cutaneous infiltrate of Ni-induced p
atch test reactions consisted primarily of V beta 17(+) T cells. The majori
ty of patch test-derived NiSO4-responsive T cells of three allergic donors
were TCR-V beta 17(+) whereas patch test-derived NiSO4 unresponsive T cells
of four additional donors did not express TCR-V beta 17. Skin-derived Ni-r
esponsive T cell lines from three donors uniformly secreted the Th2 cytokin
e, IL-5, but no IFN-gamma or IL-10. These in vitro and in vivo findings str
ongly suggest that T cells with a restricted TCR-V beta repertoire, i.e., V
beta 17, predominate in NiSO4-induced contact dermatitis and may be crucia
l in the effector phase of Ni hypersensitivity.