Pre-treatment with anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) during the third to sixth challenges, but not the post-treatment during the sixth to ninth challenges, exacerbated the development of Der f-induced ear swelling; pre-treatment with anti-CD25 mAb, which depletes regulatory T cells (Tregs), also exacerbated the lesions.
Pretreatment of cell-permeable Hsp70: (i) suppressed ear swelling; (ii) down-regulated phosphorylated p38, but up-regulated phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase; (iii) increased population of CD4(+) CD25(+) Foxp3(+) T cells; (iv) decreased secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-12, interferon-γ and IL-2 and (v) but up-regulated IL-4 and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) in the lymph nodes.