title: Respiratory symptoms and ex vivo cytokine release are associated in workers processing herring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among workers processing herring and assess ex vivo cytokine release in response to agents at their workplace.
  
  
  METHODS
  We applied a questionnaire, and performed skin prick testing and pulmonary investigations in 36 workers at two herring factories, using 31 municipal workers as controls. In a whole blood assay (WBA), venous blood from the subjects was incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), beta(1,3)-glucan or sterile-filtered, fish constituents such as skin and rinsing water. We determined the IL-1beta and IL-8 release in the plasma by chemiluminescence ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among smoking fish-factory workers the forced vital capacity (FVC) was higher (per cent predicted 92.0 vs 85.0; P=0.028) than among municipal workers. Fish rinsing water induced WBA IL-8 release to higher levels than LPS and glucan. Among non-smokers the induced IL-1beta release for rinsing water ( P=0.007) and the IL-8 release for skin ( P=0.001) and meat ( P=0.003) were higher in fish-factory workers than in municipal workers. The IL-1beta release for rinsing water ( P=0.028) and skin ( P=0.041) was higher among non-smokers than among smokers, and so was the IL-8 release for rinsing water ( P=0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessing the cytokine release by use of the WBA we identified substances in the occupational environment with a pro-inflammatory potential comparable to that of LPS. The cytokine release for fish constituents was highest among non-smoking fish-factory workers. The results suggest a priming effect of the work exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 6, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark. jb@mil.au.dk
authors.forename: Jakob Hjort
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bønløkke
authors.forename: Mads
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomassen
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viskum
authors.forename: Øyvind
authors.initials: Ø
authors.lastname: Omland
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonefeld-Jørgensen
authors.forename: Torben
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sigsgaard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005396:Fish Products; D019649:Food Industry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines