Cast

Author:Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer

All authors of this article

Last updated on: 29.10.2020

Dieser Artikel auf Deutsch

Synonym(s)

cellular antigen stimulation test

Requires free registration (medical professionals only)

Please login to access all articles, images, and functions.

Our content is available exclusively to medical professionals. If you have already registered, please login. If you haven't, you can register for free (medical professionals only).


Requires free registration (medical professionals only)

Please complete your registration to access all articles and images.

To gain access, you must complete your registration. You either haven't confirmed your e-mail address or we still need proof that you are a member of the medical profession.

Finish your registration now

DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.

Cellular antigen stimulation test. In vitro methods of allergy diagnostics.

IndicationThis section has been translated automatically.

  • In the case of undetectable allergy-specific antibodies in serum or plasma, CAST can be used to test the current sensitivity of living granulocytes to foods, food additives and drugs.
  • This method is the method of choice especially for diagnostic questions where provocation tests are difficult to perform, e.g. under continuous therapy with antihistamines, in atopic eczema and in children under 6 years of age.
  • The method is also of great value in the diagnostic detection of intolerance reactions (pseudoallergies), i.e. non-IgE-mediated allergic reactions. Typical examples are analgesic-induced drug intolerances (e.g. when taking aspirin) and a number of food and drug additives. These intolerance reactions originate in particular from eosinophilic granulocytes, which are also tested at CAST.

ImplementationThis section has been translated automatically.

  • Leukocytes are isolated from the patient blood sample and incubated successively with interleukin-3 and the desired allergen or allergen mixture. After allergen stimulation, mainly basophilic granulocytes synthesize de novo allergic inflammation mediators, especially sulfoleukotrienes such as LTC4 and its metabolites LTD4 and LTE4.
  • These inflammatory mediators, whose synthesis and release are both IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated in intolerance reactions, can be measured in the cell supernatant by ELISA. In this method the sum of the sulfoleukotrienes released from all leukocytes is determined.

LiteratureThis section has been translated automatically.

  1. Fischer TW et al (1999) Non-immunologic contact urticaria from chrysanthemum confirmed by the CAST method. Complement-activated (C5a) cellular antigen stimulation test. Contact dermatitis 41: 293-295
  2. Star A (2001) Cellular antigen stimulation test (CAST). A new possibility in diagnosis of aspirin-sensitivity rhinosinusitis? HNO 49: 161-163

Authors

Last updated on: 29.10.2020

Author: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer