Altered serum cytokine and immunoglobulin levels in the workers exposed toantimony

1 Antimony (Sb), an industrial and environmental toxicant, is known to caus e dermatitis and pulmonary inflammations, but the immunomodulatory effects of environmental or occupational exposure to Sb have not been reported. To initiate investigation of Sb-induced alterations of the immune system, the concentrations of the IgG subclasses, IgE, interleukin-2, interferon-gamma, and interleukin-4 in sera obtained from workers exposed to Sb through anti mony trioxide manufacture were determined and compared with those of contro l subjects. 2 The serum levels of IgG1, an immunoglobulin involved in host defense agai nst many microbial infections, were significantly lower in the sera of Sb-e xposed individuals than the controls. The serum concentrations of IgE, an i mmunoglobulin mediating allergic hypersensitivity, also were lower in the S b-exposed workers than the controls. In addition, the levels of interleukin -2 and interferon-gamma, multifunctional cytokines for T-cell mediated immu nity, were lowered in the factory workers. 3 A significant positive correlation between IgG4 and urine Sb levels was f ound among the Sb-exposed workers, indicating a possible role of IgG4 in Sb -mediated pulmonary or skin pathogenesis. 4 The present study provides the first report on immune alterations induced by occupational exposure to Sb and suggests that Sb exposure disturbs immu nohomeostasis in humans observed as a function of aberrant serum cytokine a nd immunoglobulin levels, which could influence health.