Production of IL-10, TNF and IL-12 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in Mexican workers exposed to a mixture of benzene-toluene-xylene.
OBJECTIVE
Occupational exposure to low-level benzene and the joint action of toluene-xylene probably cause effects on circulating monocytes immune response. We undertook this study to determine relationship between occupational exposure to benzene-toluene-xylene mixture (BTX) and IL-10, TNF and IL-12 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells.


METHODS
Exposure was estimated in 54 workers from a paint company in Mexico City through BTX accumulated potential dose (BTX-APD). Two exposure groups were formed: high and low BTX-APD established with a cutoff point at ≥1.0 of BTX-APD, as a function of the geometric mean of the estimator's value distribution and the higher agreement between BTX-APD ≥1.0 and the areas referred as using (or not) organic solvents in the work process. IL-10, TNF and IL-12 concentrations were measured with ELISA. Through multiple linear regression models, the production of each of the proposed cytokines and of the whole set was assessed.


RESULTS
Workers with high BTX-APD showed a significant reduction in TNF production (β = -1,196.0 pg/mL; p = 0.01); a reduction for IL-10 (β = -520.3; p = 0.13) and IL-12 (β = -843.3; p = 0.09) was also observed, although without statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
TNF production assessed in workers with a high BTX-APD is lower than in those with a low BTX-APD, but not in IL-10 and IL-12 production.
Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, DF, Mexico.
Luis Cuauhtémoc
LC
Haro-García
Cuauhtémoc Arturo
CA
Juárez-Pérez
Guadalupe
G
Aguilar-Madrid
Nadia Mayola
NM
Vélez-Zamora
Sergio
S
Muñoz-Navarro
Rommel
R
Chacón-Salinas
César Raúl
CR
González-Bonilla
Claudia Rosa
CR
Iturbe-Haro
Iris
I
Estrada-García
Víctor Hugo
VH
Borja-Aburto
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D001554:Benzene / Q000633:toxicity; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000633:toxicity*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016014:Linear Models; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010150:Paint / Q000633:toxicity; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity; D014050:Toluene / Q000633:toxicity; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D014992:Xylenes / Q000633:toxicity
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D045424:Complex Mixtures; C508609:IL10 protein, human; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012997:Solvents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014992:Xylenes; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D014050:Toluene; D001554:Benzene