Allergic contact dermatitis to methylenelactones. Use of lymphocyte transformation test.

Seventeen guinea pigs were sensitized to alantolactone, a natural sesquiterpene lactone known for its sensitizing properties, using intradermal injections in Freund's complete adjuvant. Guinea pig skin protein extracts (SPE) were used to make conjugates with alantolactone and an isomer, isoalantolactone. Lymphocyte blastogenesis was observed with SPE-alantolactone conjugates, as well as with guinea pig albumin-lactone conjugates. In six cases, stimulation was noted with unconjugated haptens. These results do not show a high degree of hapten-carrier specificity in contact sensitivity to alantolactone, induced by unconjugated hapten injections. Cross-sensitivity with SPE-isoalantolactone conjugate was also observed.