Nickel, palladium and rhodium induced IFN-gamma and IL-10 production as assessed by in vitro ELISpot-analysis in contact dermatitis patients

Valentina Bordignon,Antonio Cristaudo,Fabrizio Ensoli,Antonella Vento,Paola Cordiali-Fei,Mauro Picardo,Francesca Palamara,Arianna Aiello

doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-19

Valentina Bordignon, Antonio Cristaudo + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2172-9-19

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Abstract

BackgroundRecent attempts to diminish nickel use in most industrial products have led to an increasing utilization of alternative metal compounds for destinations such as the alloys used in orthopaedics, jewellery and dentistry. The present study was undertaken with the aim to evaluate the potential for an allergic response to nickel, palladium and rhodium on the basis of antigen-specific induction of inflammatory/regulatory cytokines, and to characterize, according to the cytokine profiles, the nature of simultaneous positive patch tests elicited in vivo.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 40 patients with different patch test results were kept in short term cultures in the presence of optimized concentrations of NiSO4 × 6H2O, PdCl2 and Rh(CH3COO)2. The production of IFN-γ and IL-10 elicited by metal compounds were analyzed by the ELISpot assay.ResultsWe found a specific IFN-γ response by PBMC upon in vitro stimulation with nickel or palladium in well recognized allergic individuals. All controls with a negative patch test to a metal salt showed an in vitro IL-10 response and not IFN-γ production when challenged with the same compound. Interestingly, all subjects with positive patch test to both nickel and palladium (group 3) showed an in vitro response characterized by the release of IFN-γ after nickel stimulation and production of IL-10 in response to palladium.ConclusionThese results strongly suggest that the different cytokine profiles elicited in vitro reflect different immune responses which may lead to the control of the allergic responses or to symptomatic allergic contact dermatitis. The development of sensitive and specific in vitro assays based on the determination of the cytokine profiles in response to contact allergens may have important diagnostic and prognostic implications and may prove extremely useful in complementing the diagnostic limits of traditional patch testing.

Highlights

Recent attempts to diminish nickel use in most industrial products have led to an increasing utilization of alternative metal compounds for destinations such as the alloys used in orthopaedics, jewellery and dentistry
These results strongly suggest that the different cytokine profiles elicited in vitro reflect different immune responses which may lead to the control of the allergic responses or to symptomatic allergic contact dermatitis
Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) affects a large fraction of the general population being most frequently elicited by nickel (Ni), which is responsible of a delayed-type hypersensitivity clinically revealed by the demonstration of eczematous reactions upon patch testing and by laboratory testing of antigen-specific T-cell proliferation [1,2,3]

Summary

Introduction

Recent attempts to diminish nickel use in most industrial products have led to an increasing utilization of alternative metal compounds for destinations such as the alloys used in orthopaedics, jewellery and dentistry. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) affects a large fraction of the general population being most frequently elicited by nickel (Ni), which is responsible of a delayed-type hypersensitivity clinically revealed by the demonstration of eczematous reactions upon patch testing and by laboratory testing of antigen-specific T-cell proliferation [1,2,3] These alterations are the result of the interaction between the metal ions, which act as haptens, and the skin surface, favouring the contact and binding with cellular and extracellular matrix proteins [4,5,6], and the induction of a cellular immune response against the hapten-carrier protein complex [7,8]. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISpot assay allow the measurement of very low frequencies of cytokine-producing cell, offering a powerful tool for the detection and characterization of Ni sensitization with important implications for diagnostic strategies [27,28]

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