Eosinophil and basophil hypersensitivity to deuterium oxide in atopic asthmatic patients.

Reaction of basophils and eosinophils obtained from venous blood of 35 atopic asthmatics to deuterium oxide was examined "in vitro". Eosinophils were isolated on sodium metrizoate according to Day. Preparation of basophils by centrifuging and washing in Tyrod's solution was performed according to Benveniste. Eosinophils and basophils were degranulated in D2O at the concentration of 44%. Cells were counted in a Fuch-Rosenthal haemacytometer. Basophil degranulation was observed in almost all (25) of patients in which degranulation of eosinophils had been stated. Marked correlation of reaction to D2O between both types of granulocytes was found.