Increase in CD57 + CD16-lymphocytes in workers exposed to benzidine and beta-naphthylamine: assessment of natural killer cell subpopulations.
Previously, we found a decrease in CD4 + CD45RA + T lymphocytes in workers exposed to the aromatic amines (AAs) [benzidine (BZ) and beta naphthylamine (BNA)]. For further investigation of the effects of AAs on lymphocyte subpopulations, we measured natural killer (NK) cell subpopulations using two-color staining with anti-Leu7 (CD57) and anti-Leu11 (CD16) monoclonal antibodies in peripheral blood in 78 male dyestuff workers. The workers had been exposed to AAs before 1972 at a chemical plant, either in the production of AAs (40 workers, high-exposure group) or in other work that involved handling dyestuffs (38 workers, low-exposure group). The controls were 30 "healthy" male volunteers without a history of occupational exposure to AAs or hazardous chemicals. The number of CD57 + CD16- cells in the high-exposure group was significantly higher than that in the controls (P < 0.01, analysis of covariance with age as a covariate). No significant differences were found in CD57 + CD16-, CD57 + CD16+ and CD57- CD16 + NK cells between the low-exposure group and the controls. It is suggested that a decrease in the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes following exposure to AAs might be compensated by the increase in CD57 + CD16- cells, i.e. circulating peripheral lymphocytes with poor NK cell activity.
Tanigawa
T
T
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Araki
S
S
Abo
T
T
Sakurai
S
S
D015081:2-Naphthylamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001560:Benzidines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018959:CD57 Antigens / Q000187:drug effects*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000187:drug effects*
D001560:Benzidines; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D002273:Carcinogens; D004396:Coloring Agents; D017452:Receptors, IgG; C029876:benzidine; D015081:2-Naphthylamine