Inflammatory and immune mechanisms in contact hypersensitivity (CHS) in rats

Contact hypersensitivity (CHS) is a T-cell-mediated skin inflammatory reaction to cutaneous exposure to small sensitizing chemicals, haptens. Majority of CHS studies were conducted in mice and there is paucity of data in other experimental animals. In this review, after a brief survey of murine CHS, hitherto known characteristics of CHS in rats were presented including inflammatory and immune mechanisms of both sensitization and elicitation phases. Survey of literature of rat CHS is presented, with our data concerning the importance of genetic background both in the induction and in the expression of reaction to dinitrochlorobenzene. The knowledge of CHS in rats, preferred animal in immunopharmacological studies, might help development of immunomodulatory intervention in contact allergy.