title: Immunological changes in mesothelioma patients and their experimental detection.
abstract: It is common knowledge that asbestos exposure causes asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma (MM) not only in people who have handled asbestos in the work environment, but also in residents living near factories that handle asbestos. These facts have been an enormous medical and social problem in Japan since the summer of 2005. We focused on the immunological effects of asbestos and silica on the human immune system. In this brief review, we present immunological changes in patients with MM and outline their experimental detection. For example, there is over-expression of bcl-2 in CD4+ peripheral T-cells, high plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß, and multiple over-representation of T cell receptor (TcR)-Vß in peripheral CD3+ T-cells found in MM patients. We also detail an experimental long-term exposure T-cell model. Analysis of the immunological effects of asbestos may help our understanding of the biological effects of asbestos.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki 7010192, Japan.
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Yoshie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Yasumitsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Shuko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Tamayo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hatayama
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyahara
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Takemi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsuki