responses to immunization with keyhole limpet hemocyanin administered by scarification and the intradermal route

Conditions: Atopic Dermatitis

Summary: atopic dermatitis (ad) is a skin disorder in which people often have swelling and skin infections. people with this disease cannot receive the smallpox vaccine because it could cause them to have a fatal reaction known as eczema vaccinatum (ev). keyhole limpet hemocyanin (klh) is a protein that can be used to deliver vaccines to the body. the purpose of this study is to determine a baseline immune reaction to klh in people without ad. once this has been established, other studies can be designed to determine whether klh can be used to give vaccines to people with ad.

ad is characterized by skin inflammation and recurrent skin infections. in addition, people with ad may have a severe and sometimes fatal reaction to the smallpox vaccine called ev. klh is a carrier protein that can be used to deliver antibodies to the body. however klh itself, may cause an immune response. the purpose of this study is to determine the body's reaction to pure klh in people without ad. this will be used to establish a baseline immune response and may be compared to the immune response in people with ad during future studies. this study will last 8 weeks and will have 11 study visits. participants in this study will be randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. all participants will receive their immunizations at visits 5 and 6. participants in group 1a will receive 2 immunizations each with 100 mcg of klh each. participants in group 2a will receive 2 immunizations through scarification (a shallow cut in the skin) with jabs, each containing 20 mg/ml of klh. adverse reactions will be monitored after each immunization. once safety data from these 2 groups have been reviewed, the next 2 groups will be enrolled. participants in group 1b will receive 2 immunizations each with 250 mcg of klh each. participants in group 2b will receive 2 immunizations through scarification with 15 jabs, each containing 20mg/ml of klh. other study visits will include allergy testing and blood and urine collection.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * healthy and nonatopic as defined by the advn standard diagnostic criteria * willing to use appropriate forms of contraception exclusion criteria: * active bacterial, viral, or fungal infection within 30 days prior to study entry * immunodeficiency * received use of systemic corticosteroids, antibiotics, antivirals, anti-inflammatory biologics (e.g., alefacept, etanercept), calcineurin inhibitors, oral immunosuppressive agents, anxiolytic agents, antidepressants, or cancer chemotherapy within 30 days prior to klh administration * use of topical corticosteroids, antibiotics, antivirals, immune enhancers, or calcineurin inhibitors within 7 days prior to study entry * allergy to shellfish * vaccination within 30 days prior to entering the study * skin rash * participation in a clinical trial within 4 weeks of study entry * positive response to dth test prior to administration of klh * previous exposure to klh or products containing klh * allergic or hypersensitivity to klh * any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with the study * pregnant or breastfeeding

Keywords: keyhole limpet hemocyanin klh atopic dermatitis igg antibodies scarification