LYMPHOCYTE NOREPINEPHRINE AND EPINEPHRINE, BUT NOT PLASMA-CATECHOLAMINES PREDICT LYMPHOCYTE-PRODUCTION

Endogenous norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) were demonstrated i n lymphocytes isolated from peripheral venous blood. In 13 young subje cts lymphocyte NE and E averaged 14.3 and 1.9 pg per 10(7) cells, resp ectively. The ratio NE/E was similar in plasma and in lymphocytes. Hig hly significant correlations were obtained between lymphocyte NE and E on the one hand and cAMP in lymphocytes on the other both in the basa l state and after stimulation with isoproterenol. In a group of elderl y subjects lymphocyte NE concentration was significantly reduced in lo ng-term smokers as compared to non-smokers (7 and 35 pg/10(7) cells, r espectively), whereas plasma NE was increased in smokers. Addition of exogenous NE or propranolol to blood samples did not change lymphocyte NE concentration in in vitro experiments. Variability in endogenous l ymphocyte concentration of E in 9 young subjects, correlated with conc omitant changes in number of NK(CD3-CD56+) cells and is concluded that endogenous lymphocyte E concentrations in healthy subjects reflected basal cAMP production in lymphocytes and lymphocyte subset composition .