The Immunological Effects of Dust Containing Metals and Compounds in Workers of a Plant Producing Plastic Materials. Preliminary Study

Abstract

Lymphocyte subpopulations were studied in 14 men working in a plant producing plastic materials in comparison with a control group of similar age and smoking habit. The workers were exposed to dust containing particles of calcium carbonate, polyvinylchloride, phtalates, unsaturated oils, paraffin wax, iron oxides, titanium bioxides, barium, zinc, lead and lead chromate. In the exposed workers, T helper/ inducer lymphocytes (mainly CD4+-CD45RO- “virgin” lymphocytes) and CD19+ B lymphocytes were significantly reduced without changes of serum IgM, IgG and IgA. A highly significant correlation was found between B lymphocytes (reduced in the workers about 40 %) and CD4+-CD45R0+ “memory” lymphocytes (reduced about 20 %). Moreover, blood lead (correlated with urinary chromium) demonstrated a highly significant negative correlation with B lymphocytes.

This study demonstrates that combined exposure to toxic agents produces specific modifications in the lymphocyte subsets without changes in immunoglobulins and confirms the results of previous studies showing that the exposure to lead or chromate induces reduction of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood.