[Study of immunoglobulins, proinflammatory cytokines, lymphoproliferation and phagocytosis in peripheral blood of healthy young people exposed to different levels of atmospheric pollution].
BACKGROUND
Urban environmental pollutants, resulting from the inadequate control in the industries and from the use of vehicles, still represent a great danger for millions of people all around the world.


METHODS
We made a study in healthy young people without family history of atopy that lived in Guadalajara's downtown, as well as in another group of young people who lived in a rural area. According to the census of the year 2000, Guadalajara city has a population of 4 million habitants, and a vehicle number of about a million. The immunological parameters that we studied were: IgG, IgA and IgM immunoglobulins by nephelometry, serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1alpha, IL1-beta and TNF-alpha by ELISAs test, and the phagocytic index in polymorphonuclears. The atmospheric parameters were: NO2, O3, SO2, CO and the suspended particles that were less than 10 micrometers (PM10). These parameters were obtained from a mobile unit found at the Instituto de Astronomia y Meteorología de la Universidad de Guadalajara, and from an automatic station of environmental monitoring.


RESULTS
It stands out the high concentrations of NO2 and PM10, which in several occasions were over the standards established by the WHO. IgG, IgA and IgM immunoglobulins were lower in the subjects living in the city that in those who lived in the rural area. Phagocytic index in polymorphonuclears, as well as IL-1alpha levels were higher in the city group, though we did not find a significant difference in the immunological parameters analyzed in the studied groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Environmental pollution levels found at Guadalajara's downtown does not modify the immunological parameters studied in the peripheral blood of healthy young people. This shows that this group of population is less vulnerable than others to the exposition of moderate levels of urban air pollution.
Moreno Ramíez
Everardo
E
Pasantes de Doctorado en Inmunología, Universidad de Guadalajara.
Hernández Urzúa
Miguel Angel
MA
González Villegas
Ana Cecilia
AC
Casas Solís
Josefina
J
Zaitseva
Galina
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D009504:Neutrophils; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D010587:Phagocytosis; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population
D016207:Cytokines; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide