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Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy was modified to permit analysis of solid material, thereby fully utilizing the high sensitivity of the method. Tangential sections of biopsies from skin tested epicutaneously with K2Cr2O7 were analyzed for the content of chromium 5, 24, and 72 hr after application of the test substance in various concentrations, either in petrolatum or in water. The concentration of chromium as a rule showed 2 maxima, one at the dermal-epidermal junction and the other in upper mid-dermis. The content of chromium was of the same order of magnitude at all 3 times after application. This indicates that a steady state is reached already after 5 hr and that penetration is continuing at 72 hr. The Chromium content in normal skin was 0.4-2 ppm. K2Cr2O7 in petrolatum penetrated to a greater extent than in water. The relative penetration of chromium was lower for 0.5% concentration than for 0.05%. A complex of chromium and glycine was found to penetrate into the skin but to a lower extent than K2Cr2O7. It also elicited a positive epicutaneous test reaction in 1 out of 2 individuals hypersensitive to chromium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent investigations have shown that Grenz rays can suppress the allergic contact dermatitis reaction completely and that Langerhans cells, identified by OKT6 antibodies and electron microscopy, disappear from the epidermis at the same time. It is not known for how long this suppression lasts. This has been investigated in 28 nickel-sensitive patients who were given Grenz rays (3 Gy) on the back, once a week for 3 weeks. The patients were then divided into four groups and tested with patch tests for nickel at 1, 7, 14 and 21 days after the last Grenz ray treatment. Biopsics were taken from positive patch test sites, and from the corresponding opposite control They were labelled with OKT6 antibodies to detect Langerhans cells. The patch test reactions were sup- pressed and the Langerhans cell density was decreased initially. These changes were restored after 3 and 6 weeks, respectively. The results show that the effect of Grenz rays on eczematous reactions extends to a maximum of 3 weeks and imply that Langerhans cells are necessary for the elicitation of the efferent phase of allergic contact dermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of grenz rays on the expression of allergic contact dermatitis, six patients hypersensitive to nickel were studied. They were given 3 Gy of grenz rays, once a week for 3 weeks, to a defined area of the back. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment serial dilution nickel patch tests were applied on the grenz-ray treated area arid on untreated control skin. There was an almost total suppression of the allergic contact dermatitis at the site of grenz ray treatment. Biopsy specimens were taken from nickel-challenged and unchallenged skin, both from the grenz-ray-treated area and from the control area. Different cell populations in epidermis and dermis were identified by monoclonal antibodies (Leu 2, 3, 4, 7, Leu M1, B1, OKT6). In the grenz-ray treated epidermis there was a pronounced reduction of OKT6-positive cells, regarded as Langerhans cells. No other differences were observed between control and grenz-ray-treated skin. Our results suggest that Langerhans cells might he required also for the effector phase of the allergic contact dermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biopsies from affected skin of sixty-two patients with stable psoriasis were investigated by in vitro labelling with tritiated thymidine and by routine histological techniques. In the same patient there were considerable variations in the number of DNA-synthesizing ceils in biopsies taken from different but similarly located lesions of the same macroscopic appearance, whereas variations in the number of DNA-synthesizing cells in biopsies taken from the same lesions were less pronounced. With due regard given to this finding, it is shown that treatment with dithranol for I and 2 weeks significantly reduces the number of DNA-synthesizing cells. There was an inverse relationship comparing the development of the granular layer with the number of DNA-synthesizing cells and parakeratosis. The variations in the number of DNA-synthesizing cells in different lesions in the same patient may also have implications for paired comparisons of topical treatment efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Grenz ray therapy as an adjunct to topical therapy in chronic symmetrical eczema of the hands was assessed in 24 patients by randomly allocating active treatment to one while the other, which received simulated therapy, served as a control. Three Gy of Grenz were applied on six occasions at intervals of i week. There was a significantly better response active treatment 5 and 10 weeks after the start of treatment compared with the untreated control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]