T cells in drug allergy.

Abstract

In recent years, increasing evidence has indicated an important role for T cells in various drug-induced diseases. A detailed analysis of patients with various drug allergies revealed the existence of drug-specific T cells in the circulation or in eluate from skin infiltration in bullous, pustular, and maculopapular drug eruptions. The drug-specific T cells use the ab-T cell receptor CD4+ or CD8+ and react with drugs acting as haptens (covalently bound to larger molecules, such as penicillins), but also recognize drugs if they are bound only in a labile way to major histocompatibility complex molecules (noncovalent drug presentation). Functional analysis revealed a predominant IL-5 production by drug-specific CD4+ T cells in maculopapular exanthema (MPE) and bullous skin diseases, while patients with acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis have a peculiar T cell subset secreting high amounts of IL-8. Moreover, in MPE CD4+, perforin+ T cells were found in vitro and in immunohistology that had cytotoxic potential and killed keratinocytes in vitro and in vivo.

• Authors: Werner J Pichler
• Journal: Current allergy and asthma reports (Curr Allergy Asthma Rep) Vol. 2 Issue 1 Pg. 9-15 (Jan 2002) ISSN: 1529-7322 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11895620 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Topics

• Drug Hypersensitivity (immunology)
• Exanthema (chemically induced, immunology)
• Humans
• Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous (chemically induced, immunology)
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology)