Characterization of grass pollen reactive T-cell lines derived from lesional atopic skin

Since it has been hypothesized that atopic dermatitis represents a cellular immune reaction to exogenous aeroallergens, we investigated whether lesional skin contains allergen-specific T-cells and which lymphokines they might secrete. Using phytohaemagglutinin or grass pollen for the cloning procedure, we established a series of T-cell lines from the skin of two patients. When rechallenged with the allergen, three out of 12 dermal lines which had been cloned with the pollen extract and three out of 20 epidermal lines cloned with PHA were found to proliferate specifically. With one exception, allergen-specific lines were CD4+, CD8-, alpha/beta receptor +. The reaction pattern to the single components of the grass allergen extract was assessed with the line UH-D3. Further, the proliferative response to Lolium perennis was inhibited by HLA-DR antibody, indicating its dependence on structures of the MHC class II complex. Only one out of four CD4+ allergen-reactive lines secreted considerable interferon-gamma activity but all secreted interleukin-4. The relative predominance of IL-4 points to a possible role of skin-derived T-cells in the synthesis of IgE. The identification of allergen-specific T-cells in lesional skin of patients with atopic dermatitis is consistent with the hypothesis that their dermatitis represents a T-cell-mediated immune reaction.