title: [Effect of metals, benzene, pesticides and ethylene oxide on the haematopoietic system].
abstract: The hematopoietic system, due to intensive cells proliferation, is very sensitive to toxic substances. Many chemicals, including benzene, pesticides (dithiocarbamines), ethylene oxide and metals (mercury, cadmium, chrome, cobalt, lead, aluminum) exert their toxic effect on the hematopoietic system. Exposure to each of these substances may occur in the work place due to environmental pollution and in municipal or residential areas. Exposure to lead, aluminum, cadmium, and benzene results in the incidence of anemia. In addition, exposure to benzene and its metabolites leads to myelodysplastic syndromes, leukemia, lymphomas and bone marrow aplasia. Ethylene oxide induces neoplasm of the hematopoietic system and lymphomas, especially non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Arsenic compounds act like immunosuppressants. Mercury and chrome affect the immune system by immunosuppression and by evoking autoimmune reactions. Dithiocarbamates are suspected to induce leukemia. An analysis of the pathophysiology of individual substances reveal universal toxic mechanisms. In this paper, the authors discuss the pathomechanism of toxic effects of the aforesaid chemicals on the haematopoietic system and peripheral blood cells from the viewpoint of mutagenesis, apoptosis, myelotoxicity, anemia, immunomodulation, and individual sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Kliniki Chorób Wewnetrznych, Zawodowych i Nadciśnienia Tetniczego, Akademii Medycznej we Wrocławiu. angelika_pyszel@go2.pl
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pyszel
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wróbel
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szuba
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andrzejak
mesh_terms: D001554:Benzene / Q000633:toxicity; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000633:toxicity; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000633:toxicity*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006413:Hematopoietic System / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005030:Ethylenes; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010575:Pesticides; C036216:ethylene; D001554:Benzene