title: Lymphocyte subset changes in blood and gastrointestinal mucosa after oral nickel challenge in nickel-sensitized women.
abstract: This study investigates lymphocyte subsets in both the gastrointestinal mucosa and blood, in patients with nickel allergic contact dermatitis, after 10 mg oral nickel challenge (double-blind, placebo-controlled). 6 such patients with cutaneous symptoms induced only by skin contact with nickel (group A), 6 with a flare-up of cutaneous symptoms after food nickel ingestion (group B) and 6 healthy controls (group C) were enrolled. Blood lymphocyte subsets (CD4, CD45RO, CD8) were analyzed before and after 4 and 24 h from the challenge (test 1, 2, and 3), and intestinal biopsies were performed 2 days later. Challenges were positive in group B and negative in group A and controls. Serum and urine nickel levels significantly increased after nickel ingestion, with no differences between the 3 groups. At test 3, a significant decrease of the all CDs studied was found in group B. Biopsies of this group showed higher levels of CD45RO+ cells in the lamina propria and in the epithelium and lower levels of epithelial CD8+ lymphocytes. This study confirms that ingested nickel may induce flare-up of cutaneous reactions in some nickel-allergic patients, independently of the degree of sensitization and the intake of metal. In these patients, oral nickel stimulates the immune system, inducing maturation of T lymphocytes from virgin into memory cells; these latter cells seem to accumulate in the intestinal mucosa. The immunoreaction also involves CD8+ cells, whose role is not yet clear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science of Aging, Division University of Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Gioacchino
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boscolo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cavallucci
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verna
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Stefano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Sciascio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andreassi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sabbioni
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Angelucci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conti
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000276:immunology; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009532:Nickel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D010919:Placebos; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D010919:Placebos; D009532:Nickel; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens