ELISpot in contact allergy

ELISpot analysis of immune responses to contact allergens in humans

 ELISpot has been used successfully to delineate some of the cellular reactivities involved in contact allergy. For instance, it has been shown that nickel allergy involves T cells with a production of both T-cell type 1 (e.g. IFN- γ ) and type 2 (e.g. IL-4) cytokines. Of these, the type 2 cytokines appear to be the most consistently expressed and ELISpot tests based on specific detection of IL-4 or IL-13 can potentially be used as a diagnostic alternative to current patch tests. This cytokine profile has not only been observed with nickel but also with other types of metals such as cobalt, chromium, palladium and gold as well as for haptens being organic molecules e.g. MCI/MI and parthenolide. 

Although the similar cytokine profile indicates that chemically distinct haptens may give rise to similar types of immune responses, more detailed ELISpot analyses of PBMC depleted of different cell phenotypes have identified the involvement of different T-cell subsets in the response to nickel (CD4+ T cells) and the organic molecule parthenolide (CD8+ T cells). These results need to be further confirmed but they suggest a complex relationship between the chemical nature of a particular hapten and the resulting immune response.

  Suitable ELISpot applications in research on contact allergy
  • Delineation of the immunological reactions to haptens for which the present knowledge is limited or non-existing.
  • Assessment of immunological mechanisms such as the impact of regulatory cytokine production on the hapten-induced cytokine response.
  • Monitoring of patient reactivity to haptens in experimental and clinical studies.
  • Assessment of contact allergy to metals associated with reactions to jewellery, dental applications or metal implants.
  • Studies aiming to develop future in vitro-based diagnostic assays for nickel and other haptens.