Narrow-band ultraviolet B therapy attenuates cutaneous T-cell responses in hapten-induced, experimental contact dermatitis in beagles

Background In human medicine, narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy has been used to treat various T-cell-mediated skin diseases. However, the effect of NB-UVB on inflamed canine skin remains uncertain. Objectives To investigate the effect of NB-UVB phototherapy on the skin of dogs with hapten-induced contact dermatitis. Animals Seven healthy beagles without skin problems. Methods and materials Dogs were irradiated with varying doses of NB-UVB to determine the minimal erythema dose (MED). After determining the MEDs of six dogs (excluding one of the seven whose skin did not show a visible reaction), we investigated the effect of NB-UVB on their inflamed skin by topically applying 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), which causes type 1 helper T cell (Th1)- and cytotoxic T-cell (Tc)1-induced skin inflammation. We then irradiated the skin with NB-UVB. We analysed the treated skin samples via histopathological and immunohistochemical methods, and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) to demonstrate apoptotic cells. We also analysed the cytokine gene transcription via real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Results The NB-UVB MEDs caused mild inflammatory changes yet no severe epidermal exfoliations in the irradiated skin. In DNCB-treated skin irradiated by the NB-UVB MEDs, TUNEL-positive dermal apoptotic cells were increased significantly compared with those of DNCB-treated, nonirradiated skin. INF-gamma and TNF-alpha transcription levels in DNCB-treated, irradiated skin were significantly lower than those in the DNCB-treated, nonirradiated skin. Conclusion and clinical relevance Phototherapy using NB-UVB MEDs attenuated cutaneous Th1 and Tc1 cytokine responses with minimal skin damage in a canine model of hapten-induced contact dermatitis.