A comparative study of nickel hypersensitivity by the lymphocyte transformation test in atopic and non-atopic dermatitis.

In spite of the non-specific mitogenic effect of nickel salts, 3H-thymidine uptake ration (TUR) of nickel-stimulated lymphocyte cultures in nickel-sensitive atopic dermatitis patients and in non-atopic nickel-sensitive patients was significantly higher at 10 mug per ml concentration of nickel salts than in nickel non sensitive subjects (P less than 0.001). A significant difference was also demonstrated at concentrations of nickel salts of 40 mug per ml. The TUR value of nickel-stimulated cultures in nickel-sensitive atopic dermatitis patients tended to decrease in comparison to non-atopic nickel-sensitive patients. Furthermore, the TUR of phytohemagglutinin-p (PHA) stimulated cultures was also lower in atopic dermatitis patients than in non-atopic subjects.