[The effects of occupational soluble chromate exposure on immunological function of T-cell].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the early changes of some immunological function of T-cell in chromate workers.


METHODS
A total of 115 workers exposed to different levels of soluble chromate were enrolled in exposed group; while 90 non-exposure workers who lived far away from the chromate plant were enrolled as control. The air concentration of soluble chromate was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. CD3(+), CD3(+)CD4(+), CD3(+)CD8(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+) of T-cell were determined by flow cytometry analysis.


RESULTS
The individual air chromate concentration in the exposed group was (27.51 +/- 33.25) microg/m(3), and the control group was (0.16 +/- 0.15) microg/m(3). The significant difference between the two groups was observed (z = 8.045, P < 0.01). The levels of the lymphocyte subsets (CD3(+), CD3(+)CD4(+), CD3(+)CD8(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+)) in exposed group were (30.08 +/- 17.75)%, (1.04 +/- 1.73)%, (11.94 +/- 9.78)%, 0.10 +/- 0.14. While, those of control group were (63.00 +/- 13.57)%, (30.51 +/- 5.16)%, (14.82 +/- 4.59)%, 2.17 +/- 0.53, higher than that of the exposed group (z values were 4.484, 5.227, 1.976, -5.218, respectively, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of individual air monitoring, the cellular immune function affected by soluble chromate is mainly based on T lymphocyte inhibition. The indicators CD3(+)CD4(+) mentioned above may be considered as efficient biomarkers in further research.
Yan
Lei
L
Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Wang
Tian-Cheng
TC
He
Ping-Ping
PP
Ma
Yan-Hui
YH
Zhang
Ji
J
Liu
Lan-Zheng
LZ
Zhang
Ning
N
Zhou
Jing-Wen
JW
DU
Xian-Mei
XM
Zang
Jia-Jie
JJ
Wang
Xiang
X
Jia
Guang
G
D000328:Adult; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002840:Chromates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D037182:T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*
D002840:Chromates