Immune contact dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin resulting from exposure to allergens in the environment. The aim of this study was to compare the actions of lactoferrin (LF), a natural immunomodulator, on the elicitation phases of the cellular and humoral, cutaneous immune responses to oxazolone and toluene diisocyanate (TDI), respectively. LF was given i.v. in a 10 mg/mouse dose, together with the eliciting doses of the antigens. The ear edema and the number of lymphocytes in the draining lymph nodes were measured. In addition, the production of IL-2 in the cultures of lymph node cells and the content of IL-4 in lymph node cells were determined. LF had a profound inhibitory effect on the eliciting phase of the immune response to oxazolone as measured by the ear edema and lymph node cell number. The suppressive effect of LF on the effector phase of the immune response to TDI was moderate. LF had some stimulatory effect on the ex vivo content of IL-4 in lymphocytes in the immune response to TDI. On the other hand, it significantly inhibited IL-2 in vitro production in the immune response to oxazolone. The data strongly suggest that LF exerted differential actions on the activities of antigen-specific Th1 and Th2 cells involved in respective types of the cutaneous immune responses.