title: Effects of dioxins on the quantitative levels of immune components in infants.
abstract: Dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD)+polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF)) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are potentially hazardous compounds and have structural similarity with thyroid hormones. Animal studies have demonstrated that PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs can alter immune functions. However, in humans it is not yet elucidated whether dioxins contained in breast milk have any effects on the immune functions in infants. To investigate the effects of dioxins on the immune system, we compared the quantitative levels of immune components between a breast-fed group and bottle-fed group, in which dioxin concentration is almost zero. Ratios of immune cells, such as CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes, as well as B-lymphocytes (CD19+ and/or CD20+) and NK cells (CD16+, CD56+) in peripheral blood lymphocytes, serum immunoglobulin level, and level of specific IgE antibody to allergens in the venous blood at 12 months of age were assessed in a subgroup of 281 infants. The relationship of post-natal dioxin exposure via breast feeding with the ratio of immunological markers and the level of humoral antibodies up to 12 month of age was not demonstrated. In conclusion, it would appear that the content of dioxins in breast milk in the Japanese general population is not enough to induce any change in theses-examined immunological parameters during the first year of life, although long-term effects remain to be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1194, Japan. hideo@cc.gifu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Shinnji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinoda
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.forename: Yosikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Ritei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uehara
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kondo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D004147:Dioxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E