One week after previous skin sensitization, elicitation by OXA induced a faster regional lymph node IL-2 response (maximum 9-fold increase, n = 3) peaking 4–6 h after challenge, fast decreasing PKC412 by 16–24 h. Regardless of ear skin or oral mucosa sensitization and/or elicitation, the levels of IL-2 were low in the axillary lymph nodes. One exposure to hapten (OXA) did not result in any major increase in

lymph node levels of IFN-γ. Following a second exposure 1 week after sensitization, a sharp increase in IFN-γ (maximum 37-fold increase, n = 3) was found with a peak 24 h after challenge. The amount then rapidly declined and returned to the levels seen after the first hapten exposure. Regardless of ear skin or oral mucosa sensitization and/or

elicitation, the levels of IFN-γ were low in the axillary lymph nodes. Regardless whether the animals were sensitized on ear skin or in the oral mucosa, the weight of the pooled regional submandibular (2) and auricular (2) lymph nodes demonstrated a gradual increase (from average 10 to 27 mg, n = 4–6) up to 48 h. Thereafter, the weight decreased (to 20 mg) 1 week after exposure. Upon elicitation, the weight of the lymph nodes rapidly increased to reach 38 mg at 48 h after Lapatinib the second exposure, irrespective of whether the oral mucosa or ear skin had been elicited. One week after the second exposure, the lymph node weight was down selleck kinase inhibitor to 20 mg. In two separate set of experiments, the number of cells in the pooled regional lymph nodes increased from baseline 5 × 107

to 45 × 107 at 96 h after sensitization, thereafter decreased to 12 × 107 1 week after hapten exposure. A second hapten exposure either in the oral mucosa or on ear skin resulted in that the number of lymph node cells increased to a peak (50 × 107) which was evident 24 h earlier than in the sensitizing phase. In this study, we have analysed the levels of and the kinetics of the Th1-cytokines IL-2 and IFN-γ responses in an experimental mouse model of CS reactions, induced by the hapten OXA. One or two superficial hapten exposures resulted in markedly raised levels of IL-2 in the oral mucosa and ear skin early (4–6 h) after exposure, while IFN-γ levels were raised only after the second application of the hapten peaking at 4–24 h. Both cytokines quickly subsided thereafter at the body sites here investigated. IL-2 is a cytokine that acts primarily as an autocrine growth factor for T cells (CD4+ and CD8+) and NK cells. From mice sensitized either on ear skin or locally in the oral mucosa, the highest density of both CD4+ (25%) and CD8+ (75%) T-cells incorporating radioactive thymidine (indicating active proliferation) was obtained at 24 h [8]. We also found that the oral mucosa IL-2 receptor (on T cells) was at its peak at 16 h regardless of site of sensitization [8].