Impaired lymphocyte cyclic adenosine monophosphate responses in atopic eczema.

Peripheral blood lymphocyte cyclic AMP responses to isoprenaline, prostaglandin E2 and histamine were examined in patients with atopic eczema, in the presence and absence of a potent phosphodiesterase inhibitor (PDEI). Basal cyclic AMP levels were not significantly different in atopic and control groups. In the presence of the PDEI, there were impaired cyclic AMP responses to both isoprenaline and prostaglandin E2 in the atopic group. Differences between atopic and control cyclic AMP responses were exaggerated by the omission of the PDEI, when impaired responses to all agonists were observed in lymphocytes from atopic subjects. These results imply that, in atopic eczema, lymphocytes exhibit impaired responses not only at the beta-adrenoceptor site but at unrelated sites of adenylate cyclase activation, and these observations are consistent with increased leukocyte phosphodiesterase activity.