White Blood Cells Don't Lie (about mercury)

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jay - 18 Jun 2007 04:16 GMT

Metal-specific lymphocytes: biomarkers of sensitivity in man.

Stejskal VD, Danersund A, Lindvall A, Hudecek R, Nordman V, Yaqob A,
Mayer W, Bieger W, Lindh U.
Dept Clinical Chemistry, Danderyd Hospital and Karolinska Institute,
Stockholm, Sweden. vera.melisa@swipnet.se

Many patients attribute their health problems to amalgam and other
dental metals. In genetically susceptible indviduals, mercury and gold
may function as haptens and elicit allergic and autoimmune reactions.
The frequency of metal-induced lymphocyte responses was examined in
3,162 patients in three European laboratories using MELISA(R), an
optimized lymphocyte proliferation test. The patients suffered from
local and systemic symptoms attributed to dental restorations. The
effect of dental metal removal was studied in 111 patients with metal
hypersensitivity and symptoms resembling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
(CFS). After consultation with a dentist the patients decided to
replace their metal restorations with non-metallic materials. The
changes in health and in vitro lymphocyte reactivity were studied by
inquiries and follow-up MELISA(R). Lymphocyte reactivity was also
analyzed in 116 healthy subjects with no complaints of metal allergy.
A significant number of patients had metal-specific lymphocytes in the
blood. Nickel was the most common sensitizer, followed by inorganic
mercury, gold, phenylmercury, cadmium and palladium. As compared to
lymphocyte responses in healthy subjects, the CFS group had
significantly increased responses to several metals, especially to
inorganic mercury, phenylmercury and gold. Following dental metal
removal, 83 patients (76%) reported long-term health improvement.
Twenty-four patients (22%) reported unchanged health and two (2%)
reported worsening of symptoms. Following dental metal replacement,
the lymphocyte reactivity to metals decreased as well. We propose that
an inflammatory process induced by metals may modulate the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) and trigger multiple
non-specific symptoms characterizing CFS and other chronic conditions
like myalgic encephalitis (ME) and multiple chemical sensitivity
(MCS).

PMID: 11460087

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jay - 18 Jun 2007 04:21 GMT

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

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jay - 18 Jun 2007 04:28 GMT

Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2006 Feb-Apr;27(1-2):189-97.

Metal-Specific Lymphocyte Reactivity is Down Regulated after Dental
Metal Replacement.

Yaqob A, Danersund A, Stejskal VD, Lindvall A, Hudecek R, Lindh U.
Foundation for Metal Biology, Uppsala, Sweden. yaqobamer@hotmail.com

OBJECTIVES: This study was done to evaluate the results and clinical
relevance of an optimized lymphocyte proliferation test, MELISA, for
metal-induced inflammation in patients with CFS-like symptoms. The
treatment of patients consisted of the replacement of incompatible
dental materials (RID) together with supportive anti-oxidant therapy.
DESIGN OF THE STUDY: 513 patients were tested by MELISA at the
beginning of the study. Out of this group, 248 patients were available
for follow-up MELISA after RID. METHODS: In MELISA, lymphocytes are
isolated from the blood and cultivated with different metal salts in
tissue culture medium containing 10% inactivated human AB+ serum or
autologous serum. After 5 days, the presence of metal-reactive
lymphocytes are measured by isotope labelling of newly formed DNA in
growing lymphoblasts and evaluated by calculating the Stimulation
Index. RESULTS: Nickel was the most common sensitizer, followed by
inorganic mercury, thimerosal, lead, cadmium, palladium and gold.
After RID treatment, a decrease of metal-specific lymphocyte responses
in patients who reacted to metals at the beginning of the study could
be observed. The cultivation of lymphocytes in autologous and
homologous serum did not significantly affect the results.
Simultaneous, the health status of patients improved as well.
CONCLUSIONS: Replacement of incompatible dental materials resulted in
down-regulation of metal-induced lymphocyte sensitivity in vitro, as
well as in the improvement of health status of majority of patients
with unspecific CFS-like symptoms.

PMID: 16648791

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