Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Immunology and Barrier Function of the Skin

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology

Abstract

A disturbed epidermal barrier may lead to irritant contact dermatitis.

An enhanced penetration through skin barrier may facilitate sensitization.

Immunological effects induced by pre-irritation and barrier alteration may further lead to the induction of allergic Type IV-contact dermatitis and Type I (immediate-type reaction) reactions or aggravate allergic reactions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 919.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 1,299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Agner T, Johansen JD, Overgaard L et al (2002) Combined effects of irritants and allergens. Synergistic effects of nickel and sodium lauryl sulfate in nickel- sensitized individuals. Contact Dermatitis 47:21–26

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Basketter DA, Kan-King-Yu D, Dierkes P et al (2007) Does irritation potency contribute to the skin sensitization potency of contact allergens? Cutan Ocul Toxicol 26:279–286

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bauer J, Bahmer FA, Worl J et al (2001) A strikingly constant ratio exists between Langerhans cells and other epidermal cells in human skin. A stereologic study using the optical disector method and the confocal laser scanning microscope. J Invest Dermatol 116:313–318

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blomeke B, Brans R, Dickel H et al (2008) Association between TNFA-308 G/A polymorphism and sensitization to para-phenylenediamine: a case-control study. Allergy 64(2):279–283

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonneville M, Chavagnac C, Vocanson M et al (2007) Skin contact irritation conditions the development and severity of allergic contact dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol 127:1430–1435

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bouwstra JA, Ponec M (2006) The skin barrier in healthy and diseased state. Biochim Biophys Acta 1758:2080–2095

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brasch J, Burgard J, Sterry W (1992) Common pathogenetic pathways in allergic and irritant contact dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol 98:166–170

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Callard RE, Harper JI (2007) The skin barrier, atopic dermatitis and allergy: a role for Langerhans cells? Trends Immunol 28:294–298

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chavanas S, Bodemer C, Rochat A et al (2000) Mutations in SPINK5, encoding a serine protease inhibitor, cause Netherton syndrome. Nat Genet 25:141–142

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Jongh CM, Jakasa I, Verberk MM et al (2006) Variation in barrier impairment and inflammation of human skin as determined by sodium lauryl sulphate penetration rate. Br J Dermatol 154:651–657

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Jongh CM, Lutter R, Verberk MM et al (2007) Differential cytokine expression in skin after single and repeated irritation by sodium lauryl sulphate. Exp Dermatol 16:1032–1040

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Jongh CM, John SM, Bruynzeel DP et al (2008a) Cytokine gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to chronic irritant contact dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 58:269–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Jongh CM, Khrenova L, Kezic S et al (2008b) Polymorphisms in the interleukin-1 gene influence the stratum corneum interleukin-1 alpha concentration in uninvolved skin of patients with chronic irritant contact dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 58:263–268

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elias PM, Feingold KR (2006) Permeability barrier homeostasis. In: Elias PM, Feingold KR (eds) Skin barrier. Taylor and Francis, New York/London

    Google Scholar 

  • Fartasch M (1997) Epidermal barrier in disorders of the skin. Microsc Res Tech 38:361–372

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fartasch M (2004) The epidermal lamellar body: a fascinating secretory organelle. J Invest Dermatol 122:XI–XII

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fartasch M (2005) Atopic dermatitis and other skin diseases. In: Fluhr J, Elsner P, Berardesca E, Maibach F (eds) Bioengineering of the skin: water and stratum corneum, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 160–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Fartasch M, Schnetz E, Diepgen TL (1998) Characterization of detergent-induced barrier alterations – effect of barrier cream on irritation. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 3:121–127

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fartasch M, Williams ML, Elias PM (1999) Altered lamellar body secretion and stratum corneum membrane structure in Netherton syndrome: differentiation from other infantile erythrodermas and pathogenic implications. Arch Dermatol 135:823–832

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedmann PS (2006) Contact sensitisation and allergic contact dermatitis: immunobiological mechanisms. Toxicol Lett 162:49–54

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedmann PS (2007) The relationships between exposure dose and response in induction and elicitation of contact hypersensitivity in humans. Br J Dermatol 157:1093–1102

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedmann PS, Moss C, Shuster S et al (1983) Quantitative relationships between sensitizing dose of DNCB and reactivity in normal subjects. Clin Exp Immunol 53:709–715

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gallucci S, Lolkema M, Matzinger P (1999) Natural adjuvants: endogenous activators of dendritic cells. Nat Med 5:1249–1255

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grabbe S, Steinert M, Mahnke K et al (1996) Dissection of antigenic and irritative effects of epicutaneously applied haptens in mice. Evidence that not the antigenic component but nonspecific proinflammatory effects of haptens determine the concentration-dependent elicitation of allergic contact dermatitis. J Clin Invest 98:1158–1164

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hoath S (2001) The skin as a neurodevelopmental interface. Neo Rev 2:269–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudson TJ (2006) Skin barrier function and allergic risk. Nat Genet 38:399–400

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Incorvaia C, Frati F, Verna N et al (2008) Allergy and the skin. Clin Exp Immunol 153(1):27–29

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs JJ, Lehe CL, Cammans KD et al (2004) Assessment of contact allergens by dissociation of irritant and sensitizing properties. Toxicol In Vitro 18:681–690

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs JJ, Lehe CL, Hasegawa H, Das PK et al (2006) Skin irritants and contact sensitizers induce Langerhans cell migration and maturation at irritant concentration. Exp Dermatol 15:432–440

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jakasa I, de Jongh CM, Verberk MM et al (2006) Percutaneous penetration of sodium lauryl sulphate is increased in uninvolved skin of patients with atopic dermatitis compared with control subjects. Br J Dermatol 155:104–109

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen JM, Folster-Holst R, Baranowsky A et al (2004) Impaired sphingomyelinase activity and epidermal differentiation in atopic dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol 122:1423–1431

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johansen JD, Skov L, Volund A et al (1998) Allergens in combination have a synergistic effect on the elicitation response: a study of fragrance-sensitized individuals. Br J Dermatol 139:264–270

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Judge MR, Griffiths HA, Basketter DA et al (1996) Variation in response of human skin to irritant challenge. Contact Dermatitis 34:115–117

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kezic S (2008) Methods for measuring in-vivo percutaneous absorption in humans. Hum Exp Toxicol 27:289–295

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kimber I, Dearman RJ, Gerberick GF et al (2003) Designation of substances as skin sensitizing chemicals: a commentary. Hum Exp Toxicol 22:439–443

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McFadden JP, Basketter DA (2000) Contact allergy, irritancy and “danger”. Contact Dermatitis 42:123–127

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McLelland J, Shuster S, Matthews JN (1991) “Irritants” increase the response to an allergen in allergic contact dermatitis. Arch Dermatol 127:1016–1019

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Menon GK (2003) Caveolins in epidermal lamellar bodies: skin is an interactive interface, not an inflexible barrier. J Invest Dermatol 120:XV–XVI

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Menon G, Fartasch M (2010) Structural and functional correlations of skin barrier in health and disease: models and evaluation. In: Monteiro-Riviere NA (ed) Toxicology of the skin: targets organ series. Informa Healthcare, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Nickoloff BJ, Naidu Y (1994) Perturbation of epidermal barrier function correlates with initiation of cytokine cascade in human skin. J Am Acad Dermatol 30:535–546

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nishijima T, Tokura Y, Imokawa G et al (1997) Altered permeability and disordered cutaneous immunoregulatory function in mice with acute barrier disruption. J Invest Dermatol 109:175–182

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Novak N, Baurecht H, Schafer T et al (2008) Loss-of-function mutations in the filaggrin gene and allergic contact sensitization to nickel. J Invest Dermatol 128:1430–1435

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Reagan GM, Irvine AD (2008) The role of filaggrin loss-of-function mutations in atopic dermatitis. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 8(5):406–410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer CN, Irvine AD, Terron-Kwiatkowski A et al (2006) Common loss-of-function variants of the epidermal barrier protein filaggrin are a major predisposing factor for atopic dermatitis. Nat Genet 38:441–446

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen LK, Johansen JD, Held E (2004) Augmentation of skin response by exposure to a combination of allergens and irritants – a review. Contact Dermatitis 50:265–273

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Proksch E, Brasch J (1997) Influence of epidermal permeability barrier disruption and Langerhans’ cell density on allergic contact dermatitis. Acta Derm Venereol 77:102–104

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Proksch E, Elias PM, Feingold KR (1990) Regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase activity in murine epidermis. Modulation of enzyme content and activation state by barrier requirements. J Clin Invest 85:874–882

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Saint-Mezard P, Rosieres A, Krasteva M et al (2004) Allergic contact dermatitis. Eur J Dermatol 14:284–295

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai JC, Feingold KR, Crumrine D et al (1994) Permeability barrier disruption alters the localization and expression of TNF alpha/protein in the epidermis. Arch Dermatol Res 286:242–248

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Uter W, Schnuch A, Geier J et al (1998) Epidemiology of contact dermatitis. The information network of departments of dermatology (IVDK) in Germany. Eur J Dermatol 8:36–40

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • von den Driesch P, Fartasch M, Huner A et al (1995) Expression of integrin receptors and ICAM-1 on keratinocytes in vivo and in an in vitro reconstructed epidermis: effect of sodium dodecyl sulphate. Arch Dermatol Res 287:249–253

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Warner RR, Bush RD, Ruebusch NA (1995) Corneocytes undergo systematic changes in element concentrations across the human inner stratum corneum. J Invest Dermatol 104:530–536

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Westphal GA, Schnuch A, Moessner R et al (2003) Cytokine gene polymorphisms in allergic contact dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 48:93–98

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Willis CM, Shaw S, De Lacharrière O et al (2001) Sensitive skin: an epidemiological study. Br J Dermatol 145(2):258–263

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilmer JL, Burleson FG, Kayama F et al (1994) Cytokine induction in human epidermal-keratinocytes exposed to contact irritants and its relation to chemical-induced inflammation in mouse skin. J Invest Dermatol 102:915–922

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wood LC, Jackson SM, Elias PM et al (1992) Cutaneous barrier perturbation stimulates cytokine production in the epidermis of mice. J Clin Invest 90:482–487

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thomas Rustemeyer

  2. Department for Clinical and Experimental Occupational Dermatology, Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance/Institute of the Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany

    Manigé Fartasch

Authors
  1. Thomas Rustemeyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Manigé Fartasch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas Rustemeyer .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine and Health Theory, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany

    Swen Malte John

  2. National Allergy Research Centre, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Herlev-Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Hellerup, Denmark

    Jeanne Duus Johansen

  3. Department of Dermatology and Allergology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thomas Rustemeyer

  4. Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany

    Peter Elsner

  5. Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Rustemeyer, T., Fartasch, M. (2020). Immunology and Barrier Function of the Skin. In: John, S., Johansen, J., Rustemeyer, T., Elsner, P., Maibach, H. (eds) Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68617-2_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68617-2_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-68615-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-68617-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation