RNA Expression Profiling of CD8+ T Cell-Enriched Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Potentiated Sulfonamide-Treated Patients with a Range of Lymphocyte Cytotoxicity Phenotypes

Hypersensitivity reactions are rare, but potentially severe adverse effects of sulfonamide antibiotics. Increased in vitro toxicity of lymphocytes, primarily CD8+ T cells, to sulfonamide drug metabolites as been proposed as a marker for sulfonamide hypersensitivity, but the mechanisms underlying this marker are unknown. Therefore, we used microarrays to compare RNA expression of CD8+ T cell-enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells of human patients who have had a hypersensitivity (HS) reaction to sulfonamide antibiotics vs. patients who have been tolerant (TOL) to a course of sulfonamide antibiotics. 40ml of heparinized blood was obtained from each patient, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were extracted and enriched for CD8+ T cells and RNA was extracted.