METACHROMATIC CELLS AND EOSINOPHILS IN THE NASAL-MUCOSA AND N,N-DIMETHYLBENZYLAMINE EXPOSURE

Six healthy non-atopic male volunteers participated in a dose-response study of N,N-dimethylbenzylamine (DMBA), which is a reactive chemical used in epoxy systems. The effects on the nasal mucosa after inhalati on of 0, 20, 45, 80 and 120 mu g/m(3) were studied by means of symptom recordings, acoustic rhinometry, nasal lavages and nasal cytology pro cessed for light microscopy of metachromatic cells (MC) and eosinophil s (EOS). Although only minor symptoms were provoked, the numbers of MC and Eos tended to increase in a dose-response fashion after inhalatio n of the chemical. No signs of degranulation of the cells were found, as the levels of tryptase and eosinophil cationic protein in the nasal lavages remained low at all DMBA exposure levels. We therefore conclu de that a reactive chemical such as DMBA can influence MC and Eos in t he nasal mucosa even al low dose levels without causing significant cl inical symptoms.