SIMULTANEOUS EFFECTS OF LEAD AND CADMIUM ON NK CELL-ACTIVITY AND SOMEPHENOTYPIC PARAMETERS

Lead and cadmium are common environmental contaminants that alter the immune response. Natural killer cell (NK) cytotoxicity and phenotypic parameters are crucial immune responses, but little is known about the effects of these metals on these responses. In the present paper, we investigated the simultaneous effects of lead and cadmium on NK cell a ctivity and CD4(+) CD20(+) cell percentages in the workers and compare d the data with control and lead-exposed groups. We conclude that simu ltaneous exposure to lead and cadmium is not associated with an impair ment of either NK cell function or CD4(+) cell percentage. On the othe r hand, CD20(+) cell percentage was found higher in lead+cadmium expos ed group than controls.