Human Leukocyte Cyclic AMP and Cyclic GMP Levels during Chemotaxis in Delayed Type Hypersensitivity

Ten nickel-allergy patients and six healthy control subjects participated in a study of the morphology kinetics and evolution of the AMP and GMP concentration of migrated leukocytes, using an improved skin chambet technique. Also studied was the effect of nickel exposure in the patients Nickel exposure had a specific effect on the morphology from the 24th hour to the end of the 48 h observation period, with a significant increase in the percentages of basophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes and a decrease of neutrophils. A Significantly increased leukocyte migration rate (LMR) was observed from the 27th to 39th hour in six of the allergic patients exposed to nickel. There were no specific permanent changes in cAMP and cGMP concentration during nickel exposure. The control chambers of the allergy patients and health control had identical leukocyte morphology, LMR and leukocyte concentrations of cAMP and cGMP. However no correlations were found between LMR cAMP and cGMP in the eczema patients throughout the observation period.