In vitro propagation of tissue-infiltrating lymphoid cells from lesional skin by culture in IL 2-containing medium.

Using an in vitro culture system, we have propagated lymphoid cells infiltrating the tissues of allergic contact dermatitis and several inflammatory dermatoses, and those drawn from the blister observed at the sites of allergic contact dermatitis. Approximately 10(7) cells were eventually obtained after 3 weeks from 3 mm punch-biopsied tissues by their culture in human IL 2-containing medium. Studies by flow-cytometrical analysis demonstrated that the proliferated cells were composed of 32-88% Leu-1-bearing (Leu-1+) cells, 70-90% Leu-2a-bearing (Leu-2a+) cells, 10-40% Leu-3a-bearing (Leu-3a+) cells, 70-90% HLA-DR-bearing (HLA-DR+) cells, and less than 10% Tac (IL 2 receptor)-bearing (Tac+) cells. Only the cultured cells derived from lesional tissue of pityriasis rosea and those from the blister content of contact dermatitis showed low percentage of T cell phenotype-bearing cells. These results suggest that the described method has opened a new system that enables us to culture possible effector lymphoid cells actually infiltrating various lesional skin.