[IL-2 responsiveness in antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation test with sulfhydryl drug-sensitized murine lymphocytes--using rapid fluorochromasia assay].

Response of murine lymphnode cells (LNC) sensitized with sulfhydryl drugs to recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) was studied in antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation test (LPT). Mice were primed with tiopronin (TP) and gold sodium thiomalate (GTM) and the secondary response to LNC was measured in a proliferative assay in vitro. Rapid fluorochromasia assay with propidium iodide (RFP) was used for the quantitative measurement of LPT instead of 3H-thymidine uptake. There was no difference in proliferative response to specific antigen between TP or GTM-primed LNC and control ones. In contrast, a significant proliferation was observed when LNC from sensitized mice were cultured with sensitizing antigen and rIL-2. The strength of response was dependent on the concentration of rIL-2. It was considered that adding rIL-2 to LPT of TP or GTM-sensitized mice enhanced antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferative response and the measurement of IL-2 responsiveness using RFP method might be useful to detect sulfhydryl drug allergy in man.