Lymphocyte transformation test (LTT)

Type IV sensitisation to an allergen then exists once the patient has developed allergen-specific T lymphocytes. This is verified with the LTT.

Local signs include stomatitis, lichen ruber planus, gingivitis or periodontitis. They are not, however, obligatory because the oral mucous membranes are immunologically less reactive. Because of the special immunological characteristics of the oral mucosa, local symptoms such as a burning tongue or jaw pain and toothache are therefore not associated with a morphological correlate.

Because immune reactions have a systemic character as a matter of course, with type IV allergies many generalised symptoms may be present or be increased. These non-specific inflammatory symptoms include exhaustion, sleep disorders, depressed mood, muscle pain, arthralgia (fibromyalgia), paraesthesia, headaches, migraines or even neuralgia.

It is also known that prolonged exposure to metal ions (including mercury, gold, nickel) can trigger autoimmunity in sensitised patients.

The LTT is a laboratory method to detect a specific cellular sensitisation. The test is based on the principle of allergen-specific induction of cell division in lymphocytes after contact with their ‘matching’ allergen. A positive reaction in the LTT indicates the presence of allergen-specific lymphocytes (memory cells) in the patient’s blood.

1. Is it necessary to replace the existing dental restoration material?
   Using the LTT, a correlation to the material can be verified or excluded if symptoms develop after the dental restoration material is applied (curative clinical question).
2. What materials can be used or should not be used?
   Using the LTT, existing sensitisations to any of the components of a new dental restoration material can be excluded prior to its use (preventive clinical question).

In principle, almost all dental restoration materials can be tested in the LTT provided a cytotoxic effect or non-specific activating factors can be excluded in the laboratory.

For frequently occurring clinical questions, the following profiles have been developed in which the known individual sensitising allergens undergo standardised testing.

Please refer to the detailed description regarding the diagnosis of titanium intolerance.

A combination profile (Dentalcheck) was developed specifically for preventive testing which includes the most important metals and acrylates and covers the following problematic areas:

• Gold alloys (gold, silver, palladium, platinum, copper and tin)
• NPM alloys (chromium, cobalt, nickel)
• Amalgam (mercury, silver, copper, tin)
• Prosthetic plastics (MMA/PMMA)
• Composites and cements containing acrylates (HEMA, TEGDMA, BISGMA)

Yes, if the materials are sent to the laboratory along with the blood sample. This procedure has proven itself particularly useful for complex materials such as cements, composites, prosthesis materials, bone graft substitute materials, root canal filling materials (also points) as well as intraoral harvested metal and plastic chips and shavings.

Negative test results for the materials exclude sensitisation to any of the components (declared or not declared). Materials that test positive in the LTT must not be used under any circumstances because there is a type IV sensitisation to at least one of the allergens present.

Note: Native materials frequently used in dentistry are kept in stock in the laboratory. Please call us under +49 30 77001-220 and we will send you this list per fax.

There may be allergic sensitisations to gutta-percha but also to other components present in sealers. The known allergens are included in the LTT Root Canal Filling Material profile.

Allergy testing for gutta-percha uses natural raw gutta-percha. Particularly with preventive queries it can be useful to test the specific gutta-percha preparation (points as well) to be used as native material in the LTT, because, for example, synthetically produced gutta-percha or processed natural raw materials no longer necessarily contain all the allergen components present in raw gutta-percha.

To illustrate the importance of the components included in the LTT profile, the (known) important components of commonly used temporary or permanent root canal filling materials are listed below.

The ingredients were taken from the material safety data sheets or the product information. We do not assume any liability for the correctness and completeness of this list.

A positive result in the LTT indicates that there is a type IV sensitisation to the allergen concerned. Materials that contain this allergen should not be used in future (preventive statement). For curative issues, ensure that neither an allergy test (nor the epicutaneous test) is used to verify the direct causal relationship with the existing symptoms.

With a verified sensitisation, it must be carefully weighed up whether the particular problem material should be removed and replaced. What is critical here is the clinical symptoms rather than just a positive test result. Other sources of exposure must be primarily or simultaneously eliminated (detailed information about other sources of exposure can be found in the LTT results).

In an individual case with verified sensitisation and unclear clinical significance, the causal relationship between the sensitisation and the clinical manifestation can be examined in more detail by subsequently carrying out effector cell typing.

For each examination profile, 20 mL heparin and 5 mL whole blood are required for serum extraction.

The collection and shipping material is provided by the laboratory free of charge. The blood collection sets are available from all the usual manufacturers.

Please contact our staff in the regional practice support team or our service personnel in the laboratory and they will happily answer all your questions about organising the LTT.

Normally dentists send their patients to their general practitioner with the blood collection set and the completed request form, and he or she then collects the blood sample.

Some dentists also collect the blood themselves. In Berlin but also in some other large cities, your patients can have blood samples collected in our partner facilities. We are happy to provide you with more information.

The samples are shipped by courier (page 69) or also by post in some cases.
A stamped shipping envelope is included in each LTT blood collection set. The sample must always be sent to the laboratory on the day the blood is collected. The blood must be received by the laboratory within 24 hours.

The lymphocyte transformation test is a demanding laboratory procedure. Along with expensive laboratory equipment, extensive experience and care are required of the laboratory personnel carrying out the test because only a few of the steps in the test can be automated. Even in today’s age of modern technology, good old manual processing by experienced staff trained in cell culture techniques is still at the heart of cell cultures.

The analytical quality also depends on the degree of standardisation in the particular laboratory and on the methodology that has been established and validated for each individual allergen. For this reason, cell-based analytical methods should only be used by specialized laboratories and institutes focused on these technologies and these methods should be accredited according to DIN 15189 by the National Accreditation Body for the Federal Republic of Germany (DAkkS).

IMD-Berlin has been accredited to use the LTT according to DIN 15189 in 2004 and is regularly monitored.

To detect type IV sensitisation, two independent test methods are available: the LTT and the epicutaneous test. For some questions, these complement each other well (e.g. in occupational dermatology). For dental questions, however, the LTT is preferable to the ECT for the following reasons:

The epicutaneous test is validated for verifying a contact allergy, that is, for allergies where the sensitisation has taken place via skin contact or has manifested on the skin. For allergens that are taken up via the mucous membranes, these lead to systemic sensitisations. The LTT has advantages here in terms of the sensitivity because it is performed using blood cells.

Because of this, the LTT was included as a test for the detection of sensitisation to medications in the allergologic guidelines and classed as ‘recommended without reservations’ by the Guidelines Committee of the Robert Koch Institute.
Even if professional dermatology associations still question it, allergens from dental restoration materials are taken up via the mucous membranes and not via the external skin barrier, in a similar way to medications.
The logical step to also recommend the LTT in this case failed in the past rather due to the lack of regard for the issue of ‘intolerance of dental restoration material’ rather than due to immunopathological arguments against the LTT.

The sensitivity of the LTT is stated as being 90% to 95% depending on the test allergen. The specificity depends on the validation of each individual allergen and the quality of the implementation of the LTT. In a laboratory accredited according to DIN 15189, false positives due to non-specific activations can be ruled out because of internal standardisation.

Due to the unavoidable direct contact, the patient has with the allergen in the epicutaneous test, the patient can be sensitised by the test itself. This is not possible with the LTT because the challenge is done using a blood sample in the laboratory. What is problematic with the epicutaneous test is that a sensitisation that is developing cannot be detected in the initial epicutaneous test.

The sensitisation can only be detected in a second epicutaneous test carried out at least 10–14 days later. This second ‘test’ is carried out paradoxically by the dentist when he or she inserts the substitute material into the body. For this reason, the epicutaneous test is actually contraindicated for preventive testing.

Carcinogenic and toxic substances should never be applied to a patient’s skin, which is why their use is forbidden in the epicutaneous test.

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