Introduction

Method for the diagnosis of sensitization to contact allergens capable of measuring sensitization and predicting clinical evolution, discriminating “inflammatory” responses with allergic symptoms from “protective” responses. The AVT “Allergy Vitro Test” is performed on peripheral blood using tubes containing anticoagulant and pre-adhered with the specific allergen to be tested.

Technical features

The profile of cytokines induced when a subject encounters allergens makes it possible to diagnose exposure and provide indications on the clinical evolution of the same, in the two possible and exclusive developments, that is towards a frank allergic symptomatology and/or towards a state of tolerance.

An in vitro diagnosis method has now been developed, suitable also for use as a kit, based on the expression profile of cytokines by T cells in response to specific allergens, which can be advantageously used in diagnostic applications, discriminating a response of inflammatory type from a regulatory type.

The most common allergens that are detected include: metals (nickel, palladium, chromium and cobalt), cosmetic products (hair dyes and makeup), dyes.

The test is performed on peripheral blood using dedicated tubes containing anticoagulant (lithium heparin) and pre-adhered with the specific allergen to be tested for sampling. Contact between allergen and immune cells therefore takes place directly in the sampling tubes which, after appropriate incubation, are centrifuged, the supernatant is collected and the production of cytokines is measured.

Possible Applications

• In occupational medicine it allows to evaluate the exposure of workers to allergens even in the absence of clinical symptoms; 
• The test is applied both to answer diagnostic questions and to monitor the effectiveness of anti-allergic therapeutic strategies.

 

Advantages

• Used in both clinics and in the occupational field; 
• Non-invasive test: requires no doctor’s reading and patch for 72 hours;
• ELISA technique instead of Elispot (expensive, with dedicated instrumentation and high manual skills);
• Reproducible kit with instruments found in common immunology laboratories.