Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
1983-5-5
pubmed:abstractText
To explore the mechanisms of asbestos-related perturbations of the immune system, we evaluated the in vitro cell-mediated immunity of five asymptomatic asbestos workers with hypergammaglobulinemia and decreased T-cell numbers. These results were compared with those in 10 matched controls. Analysis of T-lymphocyte populations revealed decreased absolute numbers of OKT4+ (helper/inducer) T cells in the peripheral blood and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated mononuclear cell cultures of the workers. When chrysotile asbestos was added to PHA cultures, expansion of OKT4+ cell populations was disproportionately inhibited in workers' cultures. Furthermore, control proliferative responses to PHA became indistinguishable from initial worker responses. These effects were incompletely explained by the cytotoxic effects of asbestos on cultured lymphocytes. We conclude that both in vivo and in vitro exposure of mononuclear cell populations to asbestos may lead to a diminution of helper-inducer T-cell numbers. In asbestos-exposed individuals, this latter lymphocyte subpopulation appears to be especially sensitive to in vitro asbestos exposure. Although the clinical implications of these findings are unclear, we hypothesize that many of the immunologic abnormalities that occur in asbestos workers could be explained by direct asbestos effects on the OKT4+ immunoregulatory population.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Apr
pubmed:issn
0091-6749
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
71
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
418-24
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1983
pubmed:articleTitle
Analysis of depressed cell-mediated immunity in asbestos workers.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.