REDUCED LEVELS OF ALPHA-1-ANTITRYPSIN IN CHILDREN EXPOSED TO HIGH-LEVELS OF AIR-POLLUTION

Health risks associated with environmental pollution, particularly in Eastern Europe, are a cause for concern. In order to gain some insight into the effects of exposure to high levels of air pollution particul arly by heavy metals, we measured the concentration of nine plasma pro teins in plasma samples from newborn babies and 5- to 6-year old child ren living in heavily polluted areas of Poland, as well as from some n ewborns and adults from unpolluted areas of Poland and control samples within the local Southampton population. The concentrations of all pr oteins measured were in or close to their expected range, with the exc eption of alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1AT). The concentration of this pro tein was lower in both groups of Polish children from the polluted are as, particularly in the 5- to 6-year old group. These children were sh own to be phenotypically normal. Since adult levels of alpha1AT are us ually reached within 2 weeks postpartum, these findings raise the poss ibility that continued exposure to high levels of pollution may lead t o reduced levels of alpha1AT in plasma; this may compound the impairme nt of lung function in children living in highly polluted areas.