Metabolism of cyclic nucleotides in allergic rhinitis: studies on lymphocytes, granulocytes, and plasma level.

The effect of isoproterenol on the cyclic nucleotide level in peripheral lymphocytes and granulocytes with allergic rhinitis patients and normal subjects has been studied. Responsiveness to 10(-5) M isoproterenol of lymphocytes decreased in the case of allergic rhinitis patients. When asthma was complicated to perennial rhinitis, a more significant depression was noted. In granulocytes the same tendency as with lymphocytes was noted although the difference was not significant. Basal level and responsiveness to 5 X 10(-3) M theophylline of both lymphocytes and granulocytes were similar in allergic rhinitis patients to normal subjects. The ratio of plasma cAMP to cGMP concentration was lower in the allergic rhinitis patients although the difference was not significant.