Different modulating effects of the monoamines adrenaline, noradrenaline, and serotonin on the DNA synthesis response of human peripheral blood T lymphocytes activated by mercuric chloride and nickel sulfate.

The influence of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) was tested on the proliferative response of peripheral blood T lymphocytes of nickel-allergic subjects to mercuric chloride and nickel sulfate. With addition of the monoamines 1 h after mercuric chloride, there was a marked suppression with all the substances at 10(-4) M, while adrenaline also inhibited down to a concentration of 10(-5) M and serotonin down to 10(-7) M. At 3 days after mercuric chloride, adrenaline inhibited at 10(-4) M and serotonin also down to a concentration of 10(-5) M. With addition at 1 h after nickel sulfate, there was an inhibition by all the monoamines at 10(-4) M, while, in contrast, adrenaline at 10(-6) to 10(-8) M and serotonin at 10(-5) to 10(-6) M gave a stimulation of the response. These findings point at different modulating effects on the proliferative response induced by a polyclonal activator such as mercuric chloride and a monoclonal activator such as nickel sulfate.