T cell reactions in patients showing adverse immune reactions to drugs.
OBJECTIVE
To better understand how T cells react to small compounds, we investigated the in vitro T cell reactivity to drugs from drug allergic patients.


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of three drug allergic individuals were stimulated in vitro by different drugs.


METHODS
Proliferation was assayed by 3H-thymidine incorporation. Upregulation of activation parameter on T cells was done by immunofluorescence and cytokine release determined via standard ELISA.


RESULTS
Drugs can stimulate both CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets. PenG-stimulated PBMC showed a heterogenous cytokine pattern and clones secreted high amounts of INF gamma. In contrast, sulfamethoxazole and lidocaine-stimulated PBMC secreted high levels of IL-5 and lidocaine-specific clones can be Th1 or Th2-like.


CONCLUSIONS
Drug specific T cells play a pivotal role in drug hypersensitivity reactions, both by regulating the immune response and probably also as specific effector cells with different patterns of cytokine release.
Zanni
M P
MP
Institute of Immunology and Allergology, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland.
von Greyerz
S
S
Schnyder
B
B
Mauri-Hellweg
D
D
Brander
C
C
Kalbermatten
C
C
Pichler
W J
WJ
D000328:Adult; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000009:adverse effects; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000009:adverse effects; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000009:adverse effects; D010406:Penicillins / Q000009:adverse effects; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole / Q000009:adverse effects; D014316:Tritium / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015848:Interleukin-5; D010406:Penicillins; D014316:Tritium; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D008012:Lidocaine; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole; D010400:Penicillin G