|
From the viewpoint of immunotoxicology, hazards associated with nickel primarily
derive from its type-IV immunogenic properties, as it consistently ranks as the
premier anthropogenic allergen among the general population in industrialized countries.
Thus, immunology of nickel represents the major part of reviews addressing
human health aspects of the metal. A comprehensive discussion of nickel immunology
invariably presents a composite picture consisting of diverse environmental,
physiological, and chemical components, and in 1989 a first such mosaic was
composed by Maibach and Menné in their book,
Nickel and the Skin: Immunology
and Toxicology
, published by CRC Press.
Since then much insight was gained into diverse aspects of nickel’s action in
the human organism, mainly concerning the skin and the immune system, and a
synoptic presentation of the subject from a somewhat different viewpoint now
appears in order. Impetus for this new undertaking came from the Nickel Producers
Environmental Research Association (NiPERA), and for most of the chapters
Katherine Reagan, toxicologist in that organization, collaborated as author.
Subjects that are part of this review deal with the initial event of nickel-containing
objects coming in contact with the skin and the formation of soluble, skin-diffusible
salts, the phenomenon of skin penetration, induction and elicitation of allergic
reactions, diagnosis, tolerance, and epidemiology. The biochemistry of nickel interacting
with the organism is discussed by Baldassarré Santucci and collaborators,
who had investigated and discussed that aspect in several earlier publications.
Finally, the metallurgy of nickel and its interaction with other metals in alloys are
addressed by Messrs. Flint and Cutler of the Nickel Development Institute.
Partial support for the book project was provided by NiPERA.
|
