Correlations of leucocyte migration activating factor with interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in drug allergy

The pathogenic mechanism of drug allergy was investigated by determining leucocyte migration activating factor (LMAF), interleukin-1 alpha (IL 1 alpha) and 1 beta (IL-1 beta), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in 13 patients with suspected hypersensitivity to drugs, following with the relevant agents. LMAF was detected in 10 out of 11 patients in the absence of serum and in 8 out of 9 patients in the presence of serum by means of the leucocyte migration inhibition test (LMIT). The drug-stimulated group had a significantly higher level of IL-1 alpha production than a non-stimulated group, both without serum (p < 0.05) and with serum (p < 0.05), among patients positive for LMAF. Moreover, the LMAF-positive group had a significantly higher level of IL-1 alpha production than the LMIT-negative group, both without serum (p < 0.05) and with serum (p < 0.05). In contrast, the level of IL-1 beta production showed no significant difference, either without or with serum, between drug-stimulated and non-drug-stimulated patients who were positive for LMAF. The production of TNF-alpha in the LMAF-positive group was significantly greater in drug-stimulated patients than in non-drug-stimulated patients, but only in the presence of serum (p < 0.05). However, the level of TNF-alpha production showed no significant difference, either without or with serum, between the LMAF-positive group and the control group. Our findings suggest that IL-1 alpha may be prominently involved in the production of LMAF in allergic reactions to drugs and that the production of TNF-alpha may be enhanced in the presence of serum.