K. Nordlind et S. Liden, GAMMA DELTA T-CELLS AND HUMAN SKIN REACTIVITY TO HEAVY-METALS/, Archives of dermatological research, 287(2), 1995, pp. 137-141
Gamma/delta T cells may act as a first line of defence and respond to
stress signals from the surrounding tissue. In the present investigati
on the occurrence of gamma/delta T cells was studied in the human skin
after application of heavy metal salts by a routine epicutaneous patc
h-testing procedure. Gamma/delta cells were not found in normal skin.
They were observed in all 14 allergic or irritant patch-test reactions
to gold chloride and in 6/8 such reactions to mercuric chloride, wher
e they comprised 16 +/- 6% and 15 +/- 6%, respectively, of the CD3(+)
cells in the dermis. They were also epidermotropic. Very few of these
cells were found in reactions to salts of nickel and silver, except th
at they were increased in hair follicle epithelium in a reaction to si
lver nitrate. The gamma/delta cells expressed the V delta 2 and the V
gamma 2 gene segments and were CD4(-)8(-), indicating that they had th
e same phenotype as gamma/delta lymphocytes in the peripheral blood. M
oreover, they were 'memory' T cells. These results indicate that gamma
/delta lymphocytes play a role in the skin defence against highly reac
tive heavy metals.