Effect of various metals on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression and tumour necrosis factor alpha production by normal human keratinocytes

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Abstract
Nickel, cobalt and chromium are metals very often implicated in allergic contact dermatitis. In vivo, keratinocytes, which are the first target cells, can be directly activated to participate in the local reaction, especially through the expression of the membrane antigen ICAM-1, a ligand of the leucocyte antigen LFA-1, and the production of cytokines. Our aim was to assess the effects of sensitizing metal haptens (nickel, cobalt and chromium) compared with the toxic metal cadmium on the induction of ICAM-1 and the production of TNFα by epidermal cells. For this purpose, normal human keratinocytes obtained during plastic skin surgery were cultured in low-calcium defined medium (MCDB153) and the metals were used in non-toxic concentrations. Using FACS analysis, ICAM-1 expression was found to be induced only by nickel. This stimulation appeared as early as 24 h after stimulation. All the metals induced a low expression of TNFα detectable by immunocytochemistry correlating with the induction of the nuclear stress protein Hsp72 which is closely linked genetically with the TNFα locus. However, only Ni2+, Co2+ and Cr2+ induced a significant release of TNFα detectable by ELISA after 48 h stimulation. This secretion was lower than that observed with known stimulants such as lipopolysaccharide. These results indicate that the metals studied are able to induce an aggressive cellular effect, and that nickel, by its ICAM-1 induction, may play a major role in the keratinocyte activation state during allergic contact dermatitis.