Expression of CD70 and the TH17 Transcription Factor RORγT in Human Contact Dermatitis

October 2008 | Volume 7 | Issue 10 | Original Article | 956 | Copyright © October 2008


Frank Martiniuk PhD, David S. Lee MD, Anthony Gaspari MD, Herman Yee MD PhD, Luis Chiriboga PhD, Maryann Huie PhD, Kam-Meng Tchou-Wong PhD, and William R. Levis MD

Abstract
Contact sensitizers are a major cause of inflammatory skin disease and as topical immunomodulators also have the potential for treat- ing cancer, viral diseases and certain autoimmune disorders. In the present study, the authors identify the upregulation of the TH17 lymphocyte subset transcription factor retinoid orphan receptor gamma T (RORγT) and the CD70 costimulatory pathway in human contact sensitivity (CS) using molecular techniques. Identification of this important new subset of T lymphocytes and a recognized costimulatory pathway offers potential for ameliorating CS and insight into antitumor and antiviral mechanism of haptens as topical immunomodulators.