Early expression of interleukin-2 mRNA by peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from nickel-allergic subjects and subsequently exposed to nickel in vitro.

The aim pf the present study was to characterize the time course of the synthesis of mRNA encoding interleukin-2 (IL-2) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from nickel-allergic women and subsequently exposed to nickel sulphate in vitro. The level of this mRNA (determined by employing real-time polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) and of the corresponding protein (quantitated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) were significantly increased after only 10 and 24 h of incubation, respectively. The increased level of mRNA coding for IL-2 supports the hypothesis that this process is a key part of the response to nickel stimulation of PBMCs of hypersensitive subjects.