Cross-reactivity with drugs at the T cell level.
OBJECTIVE
Cross-reactivity with drugs is an important clinical problem in drug hypersensitivity. Once a patient is labeled 'drug-allergic' all drugs of the same class are withheld and future therapeutic interventions are limited. Here we review cross-reactivity with drugs at the T cell level.


RESULTS
Analysis of T cell recognition of various classes of drugs (beta-lactam antibiotics, sulfonamides, local anesthetics) using T cell clones suggests that at the T cell level the whole structure, in particular the core and to a lesser degree side chains, are recognized.


CONCLUSIONS
It is necessary to differentiate cross-reactivity mediated by T cells and antibodies as only the latter seem to recognize side chains exclusively.
Depta
Jan P H
JP
Division of Allergology, Clinic of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology / Allergology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Pichler
Werner J
WJ
D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology*; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013449:Sulfonamides