title: Altered serum cytokine and immunoglobulin levels in the workers exposed to antimony.
abstract: 1 Antimony (Sb), an industrial and environmental toxicant, is known to cause dermatitis and pulmonary inflammations, but the immunomodulatory effects of environmental or occupational exposure to Sb have not been reported. To initiate investigation of Sb-induced alterations of the immune system, the concentrations of the IgG subclasses, IgE, interleukin-2, interferon-gamma, and interleukin-4 in sera obtained from workers exposed to Sb through antimony trioxide manufacture were determined and compared with those of control subjects. 2 The serum levels of IgG1, an immunoglobulin involved in host defense against many microbial infections, were significantly lower in the sera of Sb-exposed individuals than the controls. The serum concentrations of IgE, an immunoglobulin mediating allergic hypersensitivity, also were lower in the Sb-exposed workers than the controls. In addition, the levels of interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma, multifunctional cytokines for T-cell mediated immunity, were lowered in the factory workers. 3 A significant positive correlation between IgG4 and urine Sb levels was found among the Sb-exposed workers, indicating a possible role of IgG4 in Sb-mediated pulmonary or skin pathogenesis. 4 The present study provides the first report on immune alterations induced by occupational exposure to Sb and suggests that Sb exposure disturbs immunohomeostasis in humans observed as a function of aberrant serum cytokine and immunoglobulin levels, which could influence health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lawrence
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000965:Antimony / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000652:urine; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D000965:Antimony