Strain variation in the induction of tolerance by epicutaneous application of trinitrochlorobenzene

It has been postulated that a relationship exists between the density of epidermal Langerhans cells and the capacity of the epidermis to promote the induction of contact sensitization. This postulate was developed, in part, because (1) mouse tail epidermis contains fewer ATPase-positive (presumably Langerhans) cells than does abdominal epidermis, and (2) when tails of C57Bl/6 mice were painted with dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB), the mice were less sensitive than those painted on the abdomen. In addition, tail-painted mice were shown to be tolerant to subsequent attempts at sensitization with DNFB. In this study we found that by painting the tails of mice with the hapten trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB), sensitization was induced in certain mouse strains (BALB/c, A/J, and CBA--haplotypes H-2d, H-2a, H-2k, respectively), but tolerance resulted from painting the tails of other strains (C57Bl/6, C57Bl/10, and AB.Y--haplotype H-2b). The ability to become sensitive or tolerant is not related to Langerhans cell density as detected by ATPase staining. While the mechanism for this strain difference in the induction of tolerance is unknown, tolerance induced in C57Bl/6 mice is mediated in part by the generation of suppressor cells.