Dendritic Cell Research Projects

The sensitising potential of chemicals is usually identified on the basis of animal studies. In addition to increasing public concern regarding the use of animal testing for the toxicological evaluation of new chemicals, the adoption of the 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive in Europe will result in animal testing of ingredients used in cosmetics being subjected to severe restrictions by 2009 which will be tightened by 2013. The development of in vitro models for predicting the sensitising potential of new chemicals is therefore an obvious need. In vitro sensitisation tests will have to reflect the complex interactions of a chemical with the different compartments of the immune system. COLIPA STTF is therefore supporting a range of research projects reflecting our current understanding of the molecular and cellular events occurring during the sensitisation process from aspects of chemistry, peptide binding and skin metabolism to intracellular signalling pathways induced by allergens (see fig. 1).