Development of a validated blood test for nickel sensitization

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 132; no. 3; pp. 767 - 769
• Main Authors: Pacheco, Karin, Barker, Lisa, Maier, Lisa, Erb, Samantha, Sills, Michael, Knight, Vijaya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2013; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antigens; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - diagnosis; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - etiology; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact - immunology; Failure; Female; Hematologic Tests; Humans; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - cytology; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects; Male; Medical laboratories; Middle Aged; Nickel; Nickel - adverse effects; Patch Tests; Patients; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Transplants & implants; Young Adult; United States > US
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.03.023

The threshold for positive responses was based on the mean of the PSIs from the nonsensitized control population, plus 3 SDs. Because nickel is known to be nonspecifically stimulatory at higher concentrations,5 we required stimulation indices above this threshold in at least 2 culture conditions to be considered positive. The TCR-V repertoire is the same in blood- and skin-derived T-cell clones specific for nickel,7,8 as shown for beryllium-specific T-cell clones in blood and lung.9 Thus, T-cell responses in blood and on the skin plausibly reflect the sensitization that occurred in the failed joint.