Reversible cellular damage by dimethyl sulfoxide reflected by release of marker enzymes for intracellular fractions.

Irritative human skin reactions were induced by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Suction blisters were raised on these areas within 1.5 h after their induction and simultaneously on normal skin. The activities of marker enzymes for subcellular fractions in the suction blisters were determined. In suction blisters raised on the DMSO induced wheals significantly higher values of the cytosol enzyme lactate dehydrogenase and also some higher values of the lysosomal marker alpha-mannosidase were found than in blisters produced on normal skin. Membrane-bound marker enzymes for subcellular fractions were not elevated. Since the skin is macroscopically completely normal 24 h after application of DMSO, our results indicate that the induction of a certain membrane damage with release of intracellular enzymes does not necessarily lead to cellular necrosis.