How Do Systemic Steroids Suppress Contact Allergies?

Systemic steroids increase TGF-β, thereby inducing a chain of actions that eventually improve contact allergies.

Systemic corticosteroids are among the most widely used medications in dermatology. Although many effects of these potent immunosuppressive agents are known, understanding of the mechanism by which they benefit allergic contact dermatitis is incomplete. To characterize the effects of oral glucocorticosteroids on the cutaneous immune response, investigators examined biopsied specimens from 24 participants from an earlier study of anti-inflammatory compounds in nickel-allergic patients who were randomized to 10 mg prednisone daily or placebo. After the 10-day study period, all were patch-tested to nickel sulfate.

The prednisone recipients had significantly reduced patch-test reactions. Specimens from the prednisone recipients showed fewer CD4^+…

Reviewing Author

Craig A. Elmets, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Astellas Pharmaceuticals

EquityVaxin

Grant / Research support NIH; NIH/NCI; Veteran’s Administration; Ferndale Laboratories; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc.

Editorial boards Cancer Prevention Research; Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, & Photomedicine; UpToDate; eMedicine; Journal of Dermatological Sciences; JAMA Dermatology

Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Vice Chair, Committee on Science and Research); Photomedicine Society (Board of Directors)