Allergic contact dermatitis is a chronic T cell-driven inflammatory
skin disease that is caused by repeated exposure to contact
allergens. Based on murine studies of acute
contact hypersensitivity, mast cells (MCs) are believed to play a role in its pathogenesis. The role of MCs in chronic
allergic contact dermatitis has not been investigated, in part because of the lack of murine models for chronic
contact hypersensitivity. We developed and used a chronic
contact hypersensitivity model in wild-type and MC-deficient mice and assessed skin inflammatory responses to identify and characterize the role of MCs in chronic
allergic contact dermatitis. Ear swelling chronic
contact hypersensitivity responses increased markedly, up to 4-fold, in MC-deficient KitW-sh/W-sh (Sash) and MCPT5-Cre+iDTR+ mice compared with wild-type mice. Local engraftment with MCs protected Sash mice from exacerbated ear swelling after repeated
oxazolone challenge. Chronic
contact hypersensitivity skin of Sash mice exhibited elevated levels of IFN-γ, IL-17α, and
IL-23, as well as increased accumulation of Ag-specific IFN-γ-producing CD8+ tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells. The CD8+ T cell
mitogen IL-15, which was increased in
oxazolone-challenged skin of Sash mice during the accumulation of cutaneous TRM cells, was efficiently degraded by MCs in vitro. MCs protect from the exacerbated allergic skin
inflammation induced by repeated
allergen challenge, at least in part, via effects on CD8+ TRM cells. MCs may notably influence the course of chronic
allergic contact dermatitis. A better understanding of their role and the underlying mechanisms may lead to better approaches for the treatment of this common, disabling, and costly condition.