Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Objective:

To establish if serum levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in subjects exposed to benzene are connected with age, working years, and employment age.

Methods:

We evaluated serum levels of IL-10 in 51 employees working in oil refinery (group A) and in 16 office workers who resided in the same area (group B).

Results:

There was no statistically significant difference between serum concentrations of IL-10 in groups A and B. There was a statistically significant dependent relationship in group A between age, working years, and serum concentration of IL-10. There was a statistically significant and positive dependent relationship in group A between serum concentration of IL-10 and employment age.

Conclusions:

The role played by IL-10 in benzene immune suppression may be relevant and attention should be directed toward assessment of age, working years, and employment age in benzene-exposed populations.

Keywords

Benzene cytokines interleukin-10 regulatory T-cells

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aoyama

(1986) Effects of benzene on lymphocyte subpopulations and immune responses in mice. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 85: 92–101.

Eyerich

Pennino

. (2009) Th22 cells represent a distinct human T cell subset involved in epidermal immunity and remodeling. Journal of Clinical Investigation 119: 3573–3585.

Hosgood

3rd Zhang

Shen

. (2009) Association between genetic variants in VEGF, ERCC3 and occupational benzene haematotoxicity. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 66: 848–853.

Hwang

Kim

Kang

(2009) Aging and human CD4(+) regulatory T cells. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 130: 509–517.

Mosser

Zhang

(2008) Interleukin-10: new perspectives on an old cytokine. Immunological Reviews 226: 205–218.

Ouyang

Virasch

Hao

. (2000) Suppression of human IL-1β, IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α production by cigarette smoke extracts. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 106: 280–287.

Ramos

Limon-Flores

Ullrich

(2007) Dermal exposure to jet fuel suppresses delayed-type hypersensitivity: a critical role for aromatic hydrocarbons. Toxicological Sciences 100: 415–422.

Richardson

(2008) Temporal variation in the association between benzene and leukemia mortality. Environmental Health Perspectives 116: 370–374.

Rosenthal

Snyder

(1987) Inhaled benzene reduces aspects of cell-mediated tumor surveillance in mice. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 88: 35–43.

10.

Soroosh

Doherty

(2000) Th9 and allergic disease. Immunology 2009; 127: 450–458.

11.

Ullrich

Lyons

(2000) Mechanisms involved in the immunotoxicity induced by dermal application of JP-8 jet fuel. Toxicological Sciences 58: 290–298.

12.

United Stated National Toxicology Study Report TR-289 (1986) Toxicological and carcinogenesis studies of benzene (CASno.71-43-2) in F344/N rats and B6C3F₁ mice (Gavage Studies). Available at: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=0707525C-0F07-05BF-A16CAC7B0ECC97B5S. (accessed date 2007)

13.

Veraldi

Costantini

Bolejack

. (2006) Immunotoxic effects of chemicals: A matrix for occupational and environmental epidemiological studies. American Journal of Industrial Medicine 49: 1046–1055.

Interleukin-10 involvement in exposure to low dose of benzene