Requirement of MHC class I on radioresistant cells for granzyme B expression from CD8+ T cells in murine contact hypersensitivity

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common cutaneous disorder that affects around 15–20% of the general population worldwide. Haptens, chemical compounds of molecular weight smaller than 500 Da, are assumed to react with self-peptides or −proteins to serve as pathogenic antigens (Ags) in ACD [1,2]. Ag-presented-CD8+ T cells at the elicitation phase produce interferon (IFN)-γ and cytotoxic granules such as granzyme B and perforin, and provoke inflammation [2–4]. Dermal dendritic cells (dDCs) are considered essential for the presentation of these haptenized-Ag to CD8+ T cells [2,5,6].