INVESTIGATIONS ON LYMPHOCYTE TRANSFORMATION IN MERCURY SENSITIVITY . NON SPECIFIC TRANSFORMATION DUE TO MERCURY COMPOUNDS

In vitro transformation studies of lymphocytes in normal persons and patients with contact allergy to mercury yielded the following results: 1. Mercuric chloride is capable to induce transformation and mitosis in normal persons and in patients allergic to mercury. Other mercury compounds such as mercuric acetate or mercuric nitrate showed the same effect. About 6-33% of the lymphocytes were transformed in these tests. 2. Dibromoxymercurifluoresceine-sodium (Merbromin) was the only organic mercury compound that was active, whereas phenyl-Hg-acetate, phenyl-Hg-borate, (Merfen®), Mersalyl, ethylmercurithio-benzoxazolcarboxylic acid (Cialit®) did not induce transformation. 3. The lymphocyte transformation induced by mercury compounds or phytohemagglutinin could be inhibited by dexamethasone. On the contrary sodiumthiosulfate showed an inhibitory effect only in case of stimulation induced by mercury. 4. No transformations or mitoses were observed by other metal compounds, such as salts of cadmium, copper, chromium, lead, gold, nickel, silver and zinc. These results suggest that mercury is a non specific lymphocyte stimulating agent. The mode of action remains to be determined. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.