Drug “allergy” is no allergy a view back, with some surprising conclusions Werner J. Pichler, MD
[email protected] [email protected] Division Allergology, Inselspital, ADR-AC GmbH University of Bern, Adverse Drug Reactions – CH 3010 Bern Analysis and Consulting Switzerland Holligenstr 91, CH 3008 Bern, Switzerland Drug allergy allergy an immune response to an innocous substance which leads to symptoms an immune response to a drug or drug- drug allergy metabolite which leads to clinical symptoms activation of innate and adaptive immunity, immune response stimulation of specific T-cells and specific antibodies, inflammatory reaction drug often < 1000 D; small molecules are per se not immunogenic, covalent binding to carrier protein (hapten-carrier complex) required for «immunogenicity» Adverse Drug Reaction (type B): Drug Allergy • anaphylaxis, urticaria • maculo-papular exanthema • bullous exanthema • acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) • Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) toxic-epidermal necrolysis (TEN) • DRESS, hepatitis , interstitial nephritis,pneumonitis • drug induced autoimmunity (SLE, pemphigus, ...) BIZARRE CLINIC PURPOSE OF IMMUNE REACTION ? How are drugs stimulating the immune system ? Hapten/prohapten specific immunity Penicillin G SMX-NO Haptens are chemically reactive R N H O compounds able to bind H H C N CH S O S 3 H2 covalently to proteins. CH N 3 I O ON a Adduct formation gives a danger N O N N O signal to APC (CD86 A upregulation, IL-1b-secretion) T E Adduct formation forms A neoantigenic determinants