Evaluation of Auricular Lymph Node Cell Proliferation in

Chemicals that bind to protein may cause immunological re-sponses that include allergic contact hypersensitivity mediated by T cells. Various animal models have been used to predict chemical-mediated contact sensitization. One assay that has re-cently been developed utilizes the proliferation response in-duced in the draining auricular lymph node after exposure to contact sensitizers. This assay has been modified to a simpler method that results in the more rapid processing of samples with greater reproducibility. Isothiazolones are chemicals used as biocides in various applications which at greater than use concentrations may cause allergic contact hypersensitivity. The mouse auricular lymph node cell proliferation assay has been used to examine the potential of various isothiazolones to in-duce contact sensitization. The extent of lymph node cell prolif-eration was dependent on the concentration of isothiazolone