Development of beryllium lymphocyte transformation tests in chronic beryllium disease.

We found that optimal conditions for the beryllium transformation test required the use of purified lymphocyte suspensions in 20% human serum, with beryllium sulphate at concentrations of 10(-6) to 10(-7) M. Using these conditions, all 15 chronic beryllium patients tested gave a stimulation index of more than 2. Despite the above, 10(-5) and 10(-6)M, BeSO4 inhibited spontaneous thymidine incorporation and lymphocyte transformation to PHA and PPD in normal subjects. Alternative methods, using whole blood, venous and thumb-prick samples, gave fewer and less reproducible positive results.