Lymphocyte subpopulations, cytokines and trace elements in asymptomatic atopic women exposed to an urban environment

This study evaluates the immune response to exposure to an urban environmen t from 30 non-atopic and 30 non-symptomatic women with history of respirato ry and/or cutaneous allergies. Blood lymphocyte subsets and serum interleuk in (IL) 4 and interferon gamma (INF-gamma) of the two groups were similar, while serum IgE and "in vitro" production of IL-4 and INF-gamma by mononucl ear blood cells of the atopic women were higher spontaneously or in the pre sence of PHA, respectively. Blood lead of the nonatopic women (mean 55 mu g /l) was positively correlated with CD4+-CD45RO-, CD3+-CD8+ and CD3- -HLA-DR + lymphocyte subsets, while urinary trans-trans muconic acid (a metabolite of benzene) of both groups of women (mean about 50 mu g/l) was significantl y correlated with NK CD16+-CD56+ lymphocytes, Urine chromium of the non-ato pic subjects was significantly correlated with activated T, B and NK HLA-DR S cells. Urine nickel of both groups of women was correlated with CD4+-CD45 RO+ "memory" lymphocytes and their ratio with CD4+-CD45RO- "virgin" lymphoc ytes suggesting that the metal enhances maturation of "virgin" into "memory " lymphocytes. On the whole, this study demonstrates that exposure to low l evels of toxic agents, produced by vehicular traffic in an urban environmen t, exerts effects on immune functions of women. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science I nc. All rights reserved.