Study Reveals Delayed Hypersensitivity Reaction to DPCP Topical

The data suggests a complex and evolving immunological delayed-type hypersensitivity response to a single application of DPCP over time. Future studies are needed to further evaluate its pharmacologic mechanisms.
The data suggests a complex and evolving immunological delayed-type hypersensitivity response to a single application of DPCP over time. Future studies are needed to further evaluate its pharmacologic mechanisms.

A recent study from the Journal of Dermatology by Joseph Han, et al., describes findings of a unique protein signature evolution during a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in the skin in response to treatment with the topical diphencyprone (DPCP). This hapten has clinical uses in the treatment of melanoma metastases, warts and alopecia areata, according to the article abstract.

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The authors analyzed normal skin in eight healthy volunteers following a single application of DPCP and compared them with placebo-treated skin from the same volunteers. A total of 96 proteins was examined at three different intervals over the course of the study, 3 days, 14 days and 120 days.

The analysis found significant upregulation of markers of immune cell activation, vascular and tissue remodeling, nitric oxide synthase 3, antineoplastic markers and the Th1 axis at days 3 and 14, compared with the placebo. Several negative regulators of immune function such as programmed cell death and lymphocyte activation gene 3 were also significantly upregulated.

Per the abstract, the induction of negative regulators could explain the seemingly contradictory therapeutic benefits of DPCP in autoimmune conditions such as alopecia areata.

The study concluded that the data suggests a complex and evolving immunological delayed-type hypersensitivity response to a single application of DPCP over time. Future studies are needed to further evaluate its pharmacologic mechanisms.


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