Vol. 288, Issue 1, 43-50, January 1999

Effect of Overproduction of Interleukin 5 on Dinitrofluorobenzene-Induced Allergic Cutaneous Response in Mice

Hiroichi Nagai, Yoshifumi Ueda, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Yousuke Hirano, Nobuaki Nakamura, Naoki Inagaki, Kiyoshi Takatsu and Kenji Kawada

Department of Pharmacology, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan (H.N., Y.U., H.T., Y.H., N.N., N.I.); Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan (K.T.); and Gifu College of Medical Technology, Seki, Japan (K.K.)

The effect of overproduction of interleukin (IL) 5 on the allergic cutaneous response was investigated in transgenic mice overexpressing IL-5. Five repeated topical applications of 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) to the ears of mice resulted in allergic dermatitis on the ears as well as significant elevation in dinitrophenol-specific IgE antibody and total IgE in the serum in both wild-type and transgenic mice. The development of dermatitis as measured by skin thickness and histopathological changes were potentiated in the transgenic mice. In IL-5 transgenic mice, significant accumulation of eosinophils in skin lesions was observed after five paintings of DNFB, and the magnitudes of eosinophilia and IL-5 messenger RNA expression were significantly higher than in wild-type mice. The dinitrophenol-specific and total IgE in the serum were higher in IL-5 transgenic mice. The late phase reaction of IgE antibody-mediated biphasic cutaneous response was potentiated in IL-5 transgenic mice. The magnitudes of vasopermeability increase by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, serotonin, and platelet-activating factor were similar in both mice. These results indicate that overproduction of IL-5 resulted in the potentiation of DNFB-induced dermatitis by elevation of IgE production, IgE-mediated allergic late-phase cutaneous reaction, and eosinophilia in the skin lesion.