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The relationship between the degree of exposure and biological effects of acrylonitrile (AN) was studied in 102 workers whose exposure period exceeded five years, and in 62 matched controls, all of whom had been randomly sampled from six acrylic fibre factories in Japan. The six factories were classified into three groups on the basis of AN concentration at workplaces. The most highly exposed group of subjects showed an eight-hour average AN concentration of 4-2 ppm by personal sampling, a mean urinary AN concentration of 360 tg/l and a mean urinary thiocyanate concentration of 11 4 mg/l. Medical examination, including the indocyanine green excretion test and multiple clinical chemistry determinations, failed to detect any health effect attributable to AN. Slight liver damage may possibly occur in more highly exposed workers. Urinary AN and thiocyanate determinations may provide more accurate estimates of low-grade exposure (less than 5 ppm).

Circulating immune complexes (ICs) containing the pancreatic antigen against SP3-1 monoclonal antibody were measured in patients with idiopathic chronic pancreatitis (ICP) and Sjögren syndrome (SjS) by Raji cell and solid-phase radioimmuno-assays (RIA). The mean serum levels of ICs measured by solid-phase RIA were significantly higher in patients with ICP (n = 23) and SjS (n = 21) than control (n = 15, p < 0.05, p < 0.02, respectively). ICs were positive in 10 patients with ICP (43%) and 12 SjS patients (57%). Raji cell assay also revealed a significantly higher serum ICs levels in patients with ICP (n = 17) and SjS (n = 12) compared with those of control (n = 7, p < 0.025, p < 0.005, respectively). Seven patients with ICP (41%) and 8 SjS patients (67%) had positive ICs. This was in contrast to the normal level of ICs in patients with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and chronic thyroiditis. Our analysis demonstrated a significant and positive relationship between RIA and Raji cell assay (r = 0.70, p < 0.05). Our results suggest that ICs specific for SP3-1 may play a role in the pathophysiology of ICP and SjS.

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