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Trans-vivo Delayed Type Hypersensitivity Assay for Antigen Specific Regulation
Published on: May 2, 2013
The delayed type hypersensitivity assay using protein and xenogeneic cell antigens
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|December 8, 2009
Summary
The delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) assay is a valuable in vivo tool for assessing cell-mediated immunity in immunotoxicity testing. Despite some limitations, its clinical significance and predictive power make it a key component of toxicological evaluations.
Area of Science:
- Immunotoxicology
- Cell-Mediated Immunity
Background:
- The delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) assay has a long history in immunotoxicity testing.
- It was an original functional assay in the National Toxicology Program (NTP) immunotoxicology test panel.
- DTH is considered one of the most predictive immunotoxicity tests when used with other immune parameters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe common protocols for the DTH assay.
- To highlight the DTH assay's utility in assessing cell-mediated immunity.
- To discuss the DTH assay's role in immunotoxicity testing.
Main Methods:
- The chapter describes four common protocols for the DTH assay.
- Consideration is restricted to protein and xenogeneic cell immunogens.
- The DTH assay measures cell-mediated immunity in vivo.
Main Results:
- The DTH assay is a useful measure of cell-mediated immunity.
- It is an in vivo assay with fewer ex vivo confounders.
- It correlates clinically with the tuberculin test.
Conclusions:
- The DTH assay is a clinically significant and predictive immunotoxicity test.
- Its dependence on T helper 1 (Th1) responses and cell recruitment makes it sensitive to disruptions in these pathways.
- Ongoing efforts aim to address the assay's limitations, such as its labor-intensive nature and resistance to automation.
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