Accessory cell populations in draining lymph nodes of lambs in the elicitation phase of DNCB-induced contact hypersensitivity

The effect of experimentally induced contact hypersensitivity on accessory cell populations in draining lymph nodes of lambs was studied. Previous studies of draining lymph nodes of lambs during the elicitation phase of CHS have shown that there are significant changes in T-cell subpopulations, particularly CD4+ cells and γδ T-cells, but the behaviour of accessory (antigen presenting) cell populations was not investigated. The immunohistochemical presence of accessory cell populations was determined using markers for CD68, Pan MHCII, MHCII DQ, MHCII DR, OvCD1w1 (putative human CD1a/c-like) and OvCD1w2 (human CD1b-like). Ten lambs were sensitised, and 14 days later re-challenged, by applying the hapten di-nitro-chloro-benzene (DNCB) together with an acetone and olive oil (AOO) vehicle, onto the skin. Cryosections of the draining lymph nodes were stained immunohistochemically for the accessory cell markers. Using an image analysis system, the areas of staining in the lymph nodes from the challenged animals were compared with measurements in control animals. A significant increase in staining for CD68+ cells was detected in the cortex of the DNCB-treated group (p=0.003). A significant increase in staining for the Pan MHCII marker was also observed in the DNCB group (p=0.013). These results show that MHCII+ cells and CD68+ cells constitute a prominent cell population in the cortex of the regional lymph nodes of lambs in the late elicitation phase of DNCB-induced contact hypersensitivity.