Interleukin-10 involvement in exposure to low dose of benzene.
OBJECTIVE
To establish if serum levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in subjects exposed to benzene are connected with age, working years, and employment age.


METHODS
We evaluated serum levels of IL-10 in 51 employees working in oil refinery (group A) and in 16 office workers who resided in the same area (group B).


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference between serum concentrations of IL-10 in groups A and B. There was a statistically significant dependent relationship in group A between age, working years, and serum concentration of IL-10. There was a statistically significant and positive dependent relationship in group A between serum concentration of IL-10 and employment age.


CONCLUSIONS
The role played by IL-10 in benzene immune suppression may be relevant and attention should be directed toward assessment of age, working years, and employment age in benzene-exposed populations.
Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Giovanna
G
Spatari
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School and Unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy saittasalvatore@tiscalinet.it.
Salvatore
S
Saitta
Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Concetto
C
Giorgianni
Department Farmaco-Biologico, School of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Maria Teresa
MT
Cristani
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School and Unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Paolina
P
Quattrocchi
Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Adriana
A
Abbate
Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Mariella
M
Carrieri
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Fellow unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Giorgia
G
Ferraro
Department Farmaco-Biologico, School of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
Antonella
A
Saija
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School and Unit of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy.
Sebastiano
S
Gangemi
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001554:Benzene / Q000506:poisoning*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010578:Petroleum; D012802:Sicily
C508609:IL10 protein, human; D010578:Petroleum; D016753:Interleukin-10; D001554:Benzene
Benzene; cytokines; interleukin-10; regulatory T-cells