Micronuclei in lymphocyte subsets in relation to immune proteins and allergic disease.

This is an investigation of 54 boys and 23 girls with a median age of 19 years (range 18-22 years). The study group contained 12 boys and five girls with asthma and 23 boys and seven girls with allergic rhinitis. Sensitivity to pollen and furred animals were reported by 22 boys and eight girls and by 17 boys and six girls, respectively. The levels of serum immune proteins (IgA, IgE and IgG with subclasses, and IgM) were determined by immunological techniques. As a biomarker of chromosomal damages, the lymphocyte micronuclei was used. We analyzed the frequencies of micronuclei in 3000 B-lymphocytes and in equal numbers of T4- and T8-lymphocytes. The lymphocytes were separated by magnetic attraction in T4 (CD4), T8 (CD8) and B (CD19) fractions using Dynabeads(R). The most interesting finding of this investigation was that the three markers of atopic disease, asthma, hypersensitivity to pollen and IgE levels, associated significantly with increased frequencies of micronuclei in B-lymphocytes. There was also a relation between IgA and the frequency of micronuclei in B-cells. In an epidemiological study of 7000 individuals with allergic diseases, we have found an over-risk for lymphomas in the group with positive skin prick test. Hypothetically, we think that there may be a link between our present finding of an increased mutagenic activity and the lymphoma over-risk among individuals with allergic disease since most lymphomas stem from B-lymphocytes.