title: Impaired in-vitro lymphocyte responses in patients with elevated pentachlorophenol (PCP) blood levels.
abstract: Immune parameters were examined in 188 patients who were exposed for more than 6 mo to pentachlorophenol-containing pesticides. Blood levels of pentachlorophenol, lymphocyte subpopulations, in-vitro responses to mitogenic and allogeneic stimulation, plasma neopterin levels, and plasma cytokine and cytokine receptor levels were determined. Impaired in-vitro lymphocyte stimulation responses were impaired in 65% of the patients. The likelihood of impaired lymphocyte stimulation increased significantly with levels of pentachlorophenol that exceeded 10 microliters/l (p < .05). Patients who had high blood levels of pentachlorophenol and abnormal lymphocyte stimulation also had increased proportions of blood monocytes in blood (p < .05), as well as increased IL-8 serum levels (p < .02). Eleven patients who had abnormal mitogen stimulation experienced decreased CD4/CD8 ratios of < 1.0; 5 of these patients had decreased CD4+ lymphocyte counts of < 500/microliters, and 3 patients had increased plasma neopterin of > 15 nmol/l. These results indicate that increased levels of pentachlorophenol in blood can lead to severe T lymphocyte dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Transplantation Immunology, University of Heidelberg Rehabilitation Hospital, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Opelz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D019798:Neopterin; D010416:Pentachlorophenol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008934:Mitogens; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D010416:Pentachlorophenol