Open AccessNickel‐induced proliferation of both memory and naive T cells in patch test‐negative individuals
Author(s) -
Steen Lisby,
Lars Bolvig Hansen,
T Menn,
Ole Baadsgaard
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2249.1999.00967.x
Subject(s) - immunology , antigen , t cell , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , priming (agriculture) , cytotoxic t cell , population , t lymphocyte , mhc class ii , biology , antigen presenting cell , immune system , chemistry , in vitro , medicine , biochemistry , botany , germination , environmental health
Lymphocyte transformation test has often been used as an in vitro test for nickel allergy. We have previously demonstrated the presence of nickel‐reactive T cells in individuals with no history of allergic disease and with a negative patch test towards NiSO 4 . In this study, we show that this proliferative response was mainly confined to T cells within the CD4 + subset. In contrast to conventional recall antigens such as tetanus toxoid, in vitro stimulation using NiSO 4 activated both FACS‐purified CD4 + CD45RA + ‘naive’ and CD4 + CD45RO + ‘memory’ T cells. To determine which cell population reacted with nickel to induce T cell activation, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated into macrophages and non‐adherent, HLA‐DR‐depleted T cells. We found that preincubation of monocytes/macrophages but not T cells with NiSO 4 resulted in subsequent T cell proliferation. This result demonstrated that nickel did not exhibit any direct effect on the T cell. Furthermore, the NiSO 4 ‐induced T cell proliferation could be blocked by antibodies towards MHC class II (HLA‐DR) molecules. Our results substantiate the concept that individuals with a negative patch test towards NiSO 4 contain in their peripheral blood T cells capable of recognizing nickel or nickel‐modified peptides. In contrast to conventional recall antigens, both memory and naive T cells were activated. Thus, when compared with data obtained from nickel‐allergic individuals, this study shows a comparable nickel‐inducible T cell activation in non‐allergic individuals.