Premium
Drug‐specific in vitro release of IL‐2, IL‐5, IL‐13 and IFN‐γ in patients with delayed‐type drug hypersensitivity
Author(s) -
Lochmatter P.,
Beeler A.,
Kawabata T. T.,
Gerber B. O.,
Pichler W. J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2009.01985.x
Subject(s) - peripheral blood mononuclear cell , immunology , cytokine , medicine , sensitization , chemokine , allergy , pharmacology , antigen , interleukin , in vitro , immune system , biology , biochemistry
Background: The most prevalent drug hypersensitivity reactions are T‐cell mediated. The only established in vitro test for detecting T‐cell sensitization to drugs is the lymphocyte transformation test, which is of limited practicability. To find an alternative in vitro method to detect drug‐sensitized T cells, we screened the in vitro secretion of 17 cytokines/chemokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with well‐documented drug allergies, in order to identify the most promising cytokines/chemokines for detection of T‐cell sensitization to drugs. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cell of 10 patients, five allergic to β‐lactams and five to sulfanilamides, and of five healthy controls were incubated for 3 days with the drug antigen. Cytokine concentrations were measured in the supernatants using commercially available 17‐plex bead‐based immunoassay kits. Results: Among the 17 cytokines/chemokines analysed, interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), IL‐5, IL‐13 and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) secretion in response to the drugs were significantly increased in patients when compared with healthy controls. No difference in cytokine secretion patterns between sulfonamide‐ and β‐lactam‐reactive PBMC could be observed. The secretion of other cytokines/chemokines showed a high variability among patients. Conclusion: The measurement of IL‐2, IL‐5, IL‐13 or IFN‐γ or a combination thereof might be a useful in vitro tool for detection of T‐cell sensitization to drugs. Secretion of these cytokines seems independent of the type of drug antigen and the phenotype of the drug reaction. A study including a higher number of patients and controls will be needed to determine the exact sensitivity and specificity of this test.