CYTOKINE AND LIPID MEDIATOR RELEASE FROM IN VITRO SKIN MODELS FOLLOWING DETERGENT TREATMENT OR PHYSICAL WOUNDING.

The purpose of the present work is to characterize two in vitro skin mod-els with regard to release of inflammatory cytokines and lipids under basal conditions and following chemical or physical damage. The two models evaluated are Skin2 (Advanced Tissue Sciences) and EpiDerm (MatTek Corporation). Model tissues were topically treated with SDS or were slice-wounded with a scalpel. Cytokines and lipid mediators measured by ELISA were IL-1α,TNF-α, IL-8, PGE-2 and LTB-4. Under basal conditions only small amounts of IL-1α or TNF-α were se-creted into the culture media by either model. Large amounts of IL-8 were detected in the Skin2 media even under basal conditions, while the EpiDerm model produced only very slight amounts. Considerable amounts of PGE-2 were secreted by both models under basal conditions. No LTB-4 was detected under basal conditions. Following slice-wounding or SDS treatment, the Skin2 model secreted increased amounts of IL-1α, TNF-α, IL-8, PGE-2 (24-, 3-, 1.5- and 3-fold respectively compared to controls) within the first 2h after treatment. A strong LTB-4 response (20-fold) was observed after SDS, but not slice-wounding treatment. In the EpiDerm model, slice-wounding produced an increase in IL-1α, TNF-α, IL-8, PGE-2 (78-, 95-, 19- and 2-fold respectively) within 30 min after treatment. It is concluded that in vitro skin models may be useful in research designed to elucidate the role of skin-derived mediators in inflammatory responses. The data indicate that in addition to IL-1α, TNF-α and IL-8 are also preformed in human keratinocytes and can be released very rapidly upon damage of skin.

Allergens, Basal cells, Chemicals, Chemicals, allergens, contact, damage from, Cutaneous irritancy, Cutaneous irritation, Cutaneous toxicity, Cytokines, Dermal irritancy, Dermal irritancy testing, Dermal irritation, Detergents, treatment with, EpiDerm, IL-1a, Inflammation, Inflammatory, Inflammatory cytokines, Interleukin (IL), Lipids, ceramides, Skin irritancy, Skin irritation, Skin models, cultured, Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), TNF-a, Wound healing, Wounds