Tissue from non-infected eruption of fifty Atopic Dermatitis subjects, non-lesional skin of 10 patients and from normal skin of 10 healthy persons was subjected to direct immunofluorescence tech¬nique using fluorescein isothiocyanate la¬belled antiserum specific for IgE and indirect immunofluorescence technique using mono¬clonal antibodies. IgE was detected in the le¬sional skin of 88% of cases in both epidermis and dermis. T-helper cells were present in all biopsies from lesional skin while T-suppressor cells were present in fewer number of biopsies. Langerhans cells (LCs) were found in all biopsies from lesional skin of AD patients.
This study suggests that IgE mediated type IV hypersensitivity may be implicated in the e¬tiology of atopic dermatitis.