Patent ID: 8278054
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An in vitro method for diagnosing a nickel allergy in a subject, which method comprises: (i) providing (ii) contacting said T-cells with said nickel salt, said antigen presenting cells and said surface under conditions which are suitable for (iii) detecting binding of said cytokine to said first antibody, by enumerating spots of said cytokine/antibody complex formed on the surface, where each spot represents a T-cell which is secreting said cytokine, thereby detecting any nickel-specific T-cells at the single cell level which have been presensitized by skin contact of the subject with said nickel, where the detection of said presensitized T-cells secreting IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 or a combination thereof, correlates with said nickel allergy.