SAGE Publications, International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, 2(23), p. 437-447, 2010
DOI: 10.1177/039463201002300206
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Maculopapular exanthema (MPE) induced by drugs is a T-cell mediated reaction and effector cells may play an important role in its development. We assessed the effector and cutaneous homing phenotype in peripheral blood cells from allergic patients after drug stimulation. This study included 10 patients and 10 controls. The effector phenotype (CCR7−CD27+/−), chemokine receptors (CCR4 and CCR10), and activation (CD25low) and regulatory markers (CD25high) were measured by flow cytometry in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CD4-T-lymphocytes. Proliferation was determined by 5-(−6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) assay and the migratory capacity by a chemotaxis assay using CCL17 and CCL27. Compared to controls, CCR7−CD27− cells were increased in patients without (p=0.003) and with drug stimulation (p<0.001) and had significantly higher proliferation (p=0.010). CCR10 expression was increased in patients after drug stimulation in total and memory CD27+ T-cells. Lymphocyte migration with CCL27 was higher in patients with drug stimulation (p=0.048), with a decrease in CCR7−CD27− (p<0.0001) and an increase in CCR7−CD27+ (p=0.017). In patients, CD4-T-lymphocytes were significantly activated after drug stimulation (p<0.001). In conclusion, we show that effector memory CD4+ T-cells (CCR7−CD27+) respond specifically to the drug responsible for MPE and confirm previous data about the involvement of CCR10 in cell trafficking to the skin.