Expression of lymphocyte subpopulations, cytokine serum levels and blood and urine trace elements in nickel sensitised women.

In this study, 20 non-allergic and 20 non-atopic women sensitised only to nickel (Ni) showed similar levels of urine and serum Ni and serum chromium (Cr). On the contrary, serum copper, a marker of inflammation, was significantly higher in the Ni-sensitised group. Sensitised women also had higher values of blood B CD19+, CD5--CD19+ and B and natural killer CD3--CD25+ lymphocytes, but not alterations of some other lymphocyte subsets and serum cytokines. Urine Ni was correlated with "memory" CD4+-CD45RO+ lymphocytes in the non-allergic women and with T CD4+-CD45RO+ and CD3+-CD25+ cells in the atopic women; these subjects also showed a statistically significant correlation of serum Ni with B CD5+-CD19+ lymphocytes and serum IL-13. Moreover, serum Cr of both groups of women was positively or negatively correlated with activated HLA-DR+ cells and/or serum IL-5 and interferon gamma. These results (confirming in part those of a previous study on non-allergic men) suggest that both Ni and Cr are involved in mechanisms regulating the immune response and that allergy to these metals could be considered an alteration of their physiological role.