Vaccine-Man wrote:
Have you seen this paper?

The 'memory lymphocyte immunostimulation assay' (MELISA) is useless for
the detection of metal allergy

Koene RA. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2005 Sep 17;149(38):2090-2.

For the past several years, there has been an advertising campaign,
especially focused on dentists, to promote the so-called 'memory
lymphocyte immunostimulation assay' (MELISA) for the detection of metal
allergy. A study of the sparse scientific literature reveals that, as a
consequence of the high number of false-positive results, this test is
of no use for the diagnosis of metal allergy. Moreover, the claims of
the developers of the test that metal allergy plays a role in several
immune-mediated diseases, metabolic diseases and neurological or mental
disorders are not based on sound scientific evidence.

He also questioned if mercury was allergenic.

Mostly to harras IIena.

This is his wake up call.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstra
ct&list_uids=16273274&query_hl=45

Int J Mol Med. 2005 Dec;16(6):971-7.

Thimerosal induces neuronal cell apoptosis by causing cytochrome c and
apoptosis-inducing factor release from mitochondria.

Yel L, Brown LE, Su K, Gollapudi S, Gupta S.

Immunology/Medicine, C240 Med Sci I, University of California, Irvine, CA
92697, USA. lyel@uci.edu.

There is a worldwide increasing concern over the neurological risks of
thimerosal (ethylmercury thiosalicylate) which is an organic mercury
compound that is commonly used as an antimicrobial preservative. In this
study, we show that thimerosal, at nanomolar concentrations, induces
neuronal cell death through the mitochondrial pathway. Thimerosal, in a
concentration- and time-dependent manner, decreased cell viability as
assessed by calcein-ethidium staining and caused apoptosis detected by
Hoechst 33258 dye. Thimerosal-induced apoptosis was associated with
depolarization of mitochondrial membrane, generation of reactive oxygen
species, and release of cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)
from mitochondria to cytosol. Although thimerosal did not affect cellular
expression of Bax at the protein level, we observed translocation of Bax
from cytosol to mitochondria. Finally, caspase-9 and caspase-3 were
activated in the absence of caspase-8 activation. Our data suggest that
thimerosal causes apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells by changing the
mitochondrial microenvironment.

PMID: 16273274 [PubMed - in process]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstra
ct&list_uids=16264412&query_hl=46

Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2005 Oct 30;26(5) [Epub ahead of print]

Mercury and autism: Accelerating Evidence?

Mutter J, Naumann J, Schneider R, Walach H, Haley B.

Institute for Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology, University
Hospital Freiburg, Germany. joachim.mutter@uniklinik-freiburg.de.

The causes of autism and neurodevelopmental disorders are unknown. Genetic
and environmental risk factors seem to be involved. Because of an observed
increase in autism in the last decades, which parallels cumulative mercury
exposure, it was proposed that autism may be in part caused by mercury. We
review the evidence for this proposal. Several epidemiological studies
failed to find a correlation between mercury exposure through thimerosal, a
preservative used in vaccines, and the risk of autism. Recently, it was
found that autistic children had a higher mercury exposure during pregnancy
due to maternal dental amalgam and thimerosal-containing immunoglobulin
shots. It was hypothesized that children with autism have a decreased
detoxification capacity due to genetic polymorphism. In vitro, mercury and
thimerosal in levels found several days after vaccination inhibit methionine
synthetase (MS) by 50%. Normal function of MS is crucial in biochemical
steps necessary for brain development, attention and production of
glutathione, an important antioxidative and detoxifying agent. Repetitive
doses of thimerosal leads to neurobehavioral deteriorations in autoimmune
susceptible mice, increased oxidative stress and decreased intracellular
levels of glutathione in vitro. Subsequently, autistic children have
significantly decreased level of reduced glutathione. Promising treatments
of autism involve detoxification of mercury, and supplementation of
deficient metabolites.

PMID: 16264412 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.heart-disease-bypass-surgery.com/data/articles/63.htm

Studies have demonstrated that the removal of dental mercury amalgam
fillings
can result in definitive and significant improvements in overall health
status.The Foundation for Toxic-Free Dentistry compiled data on 1,569
patients
from six different sources. Of particular interest in the FTFD analysis
report
isthe fact that 14% of patients experienced some form of allergic
symptomology
and that 89% reported that their condition had improved or was entirely
eliminated after removal of their silver/mercury dental amalgam
fillings.Systemic mercury toxicity appears to have a direct causal
relationship
to the development of allergic sensitivity to foods, chemicals and other
environmental factors.

Extrapolating the FTFD data to the approximately 140 million individuals
with
mercury dental amalgams in the U.S, there would be about 19.6million people
(14%) with mercury amalgam-related allergies, and, 89% or about17.4 million
people would experience the amelioration or disappearance of their allergies
by
simply having their silver/ mercury dental amalgam fillings replaced with
non-mercury, hypoallergenic composite dental fillings.

http://tinyurl.com/aqekv

Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2004 Jun;25(3):211-8.

The beneficial effect of amalgam replacement on health in patients with
autoimmunity.

Prochazkova J, Sterzl I, Kucerova H, Bartova J, Stejskal VD.

The Institute of Dental Research 1st Medical Faculty Charles University and
General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic. prochazkova@vus.cz

BACKGROUND: Patients with certain autoimmune and allergic diseases, such as
systemic lupus, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune thyroiditis or atopic eczema,
often show increased lymphocyte stimulation by low doses of inorganic
mercury in vitro. The patients often report clinical metal hypersensitivity,
especially to nickel. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: In this study we examined the
health impact of amalgam replacement in mercury-allergic patients with
autoimmunity. The suitability of MELISA, an optimized lymphocyte stimulation
test, for the selection of susceptible patients and monitoring of
sensitization was also examined. Amalgam fillings were replaced with
composites and ceramic materials. Follow-up health status and lymphocyte
reactivity were assessed and evaluated half a year or later following
amalgam removal. RESULTS: Results of lymphocyte reactivity measured with
MELISA indicate that in vitro reactivity after the replacement of dental
amalgam decreased significantly to inorganic mercury, silver, organic
mercury and lead. Out of 35 patients, 25 patients (71%) showed improvement
of health. The remaining patients exhibited either unchanged health (6
patients, 17%) or worsening of symptoms (4 patients, 11%). The highest rate
of improvement was observed in patients with multiple sclerosis, the lowest
rate was noted in patients with eczema. The initial mercury-specific
lymphocyte reactivity was significantly higher in the responder group, than
in the non-responders, whose health was not improved by amalgam removal. All
patients with health improvement after amalgam replacement showed reduced
proliferation to inorganic mercury in follow-up MELISA. In vitro responses
to phenylmercury and nickel did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS:
Mercury-containing amalgam may be an important risk factor for patients with
autoimmune diseases. MELISA is a valuable tool for selection of patients for
amalgam replacement and also for monitoring of metal allergies.

PMID: 15349088 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]