Chemical bases of contact allergy

Chemistry plays a major role in the physiopathological mechanism of allergic contact dermatitis either during the skin barrier crossing, the metabolism of xenobiotics, the formation of the antigenic hapten-protein complex or the recognition of antigenic peptides by T-lympocyte receptors. We will discuss how a low molecular weight molecule can react with epidermal or bronchial proteins to form a complete antigen that will activate the immune system potentially leading to a sensitization. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.