Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1982-09-15

Extensive skin sensitization with minimal antibody production in guinea pigs as a result of exposure to dicyclohexylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate.

M H Karol, C Magreni

Index: Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 65(2) , 291-301, (1982)

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Abstract

It has been reported that workers exposed to dicyclohexylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate (HMDI) developed dermal sensitization with little accompanying pulmonary sensitivity ( E. A. Emmett, 1976, J. Occup. Med., 18, 802–804; R. Israeli, V. Smirnov, and M. Sculsky, 1981, Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health, 48, 179–184). Such findings contrast with those reported for workers sensitized to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) where pulmonary symptomatology has been frequently cited. An animal model recently developed for sensitization to TDI ( M. H. Karol, 1981, In Inhalation Toxicology and Technology, (B. K. J. Leong, ed.), pp. 233–246, Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, Mich.; M. H. Karol, C. Dixon, M. Brady, and Y. Alarie, 1980, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol., 53, 260–270; M. H. Karol, B. A. Hauth, E. J. Riley, and C. M. Magreni, 1981, Toxicol, Appl. Pharmacol., 58, 221–230.) was employed to investigate characteristics of sensitivity resulting from exposure to HMDI. Comparison was made between sensitization to HMDI and to TDI. Guinea pigs were exposed to HMDI by topical application, intradermal and intraperitoneal injection, as well as toepad inoculation of HMDI in Freund's complete adjuvant. Each method of HMDI administration resulted in development of dermal sensitivity. In contrast to findings with TDI, animals injected with HMDI produced little, if any, antibody, and no pulmonary sensitivity was detected in any of 12 animals sensitized by topical exposure to HMDI. Two of eleven animals injected with HMDI in adjuvant displayed respiratory sensitivity. With HMDI, as in previous studies with TDI, the pattern of sensitivity observed in the animal model paralleled that noted previously in workers.