title: Immune effects of polychlorinated biphenyls, smoking and alcohol.
abstract: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) have been shown to exert some immune effects. Here we analysed their effects also on immune parameters not previously studied such as TCR alpha-beta, TCR gamma-delta and regulatory T cells (Treg), taking into account the specific and cumulative interference of smoking and alcohol. The study subjects consisted of 26 male workers in a steel works factory, employed in the electrical maintenance sector, with previous exposure to a mixture of PCB (exposed subjects), and 30 male workers with no occupational exposure to PCB (controls). All subjects were given a questionnaire and peripheral venous blood samples were taken to determine serum PCB (33 congeners), total cholesterol and triglycerides, leukocytes, total lymphocytes and the T lymphocyte subpopulations (TCR alpha-beta, TCRgamma-delta, CD4+ and Treg lymphocytes). PCB, even though at a very low concentration, were significantly higher in exposed subjects than controls, and were significantly correlated with age. Monocytes% and CD4+ were significantly reduced in the exposed subjects as compared to the controls. The serum concentration of PCB positively correlated with TCR alpha-beta, and negatively with TCRgamma-delta. Treg lymphocytes showed a positive dependence on tobacco smoking, while the monocytes percentage and CD4+ showed a negative and positive dependence, respectively, on alcohol intake. Our results seem to show some effects of slight exposure to PCB in particular reducing the relative concentration of TCRgamma-delta. This effect can favour indirectly the increase in Treg induced by smoking, the anti-inflammatory or proinflammatory/fibrogenetic/angiogenetic effect of which, exerted by produced cytokines, particularly TGF-beta, deserves further clarification.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Interdisciplinare di Medicina, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. marianicola.derrico@uniba.it
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: D'Errico
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Tullio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Gioacchino
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lovreglio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Drago
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Apostoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vacca
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Soleo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls