Chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and the human immune system: 3. Plasma immunoglobulins and cytokines of workers with quantified moderately-increased body burdens

Immunologic effects of dioxin: new results from Seveso and comparison with other studies.

“…We reviewed all the articles published between 1966 and 2001 on subjects exposed to TCDD reporting information on circulating levels of IgG, IgM, IgA, and/or complement components (Table 1). Similarly to our findings, Neubert et al (2000) reported a decrease in IgG levels, mainly of the IgG 1 subclass, the most prevalent of human IgG molecules, in workers exposed to PCDDs and PCDFs in Germany (Table 1, trial 1). It is suggestive that the subjects enrolled in this study had blood TCDD levels similar to those observed in our study.…”

“…One article reported total γ-globulin levels (Jansing and Korff 1994). Four studies described a decrease in immunoglobulin levels (Halperin et al 1998;Jansing and Korff 1994;Løvik et al 1996;Neubert et al 2000), and two studies reported increased IgG Webb et al 1989). Complement levels were determined in three studies, and only one of them included both C3 and C4 ).…”

“…These methods allow for the control of a limited number of confounding variables. Five studies used multivariable statistical models (Halperin et al 1998;Jung et al 1998;Michalek et al 1999;Neubert et al 2000;Ott et al 1994), but not all the potential confounders were considered in most of them.…”

“…In humans, increased incidence of and mortality from lymphatic tumors have been found in exposed subjects, even though there is a lack of consistency among studies (Bertazzi et al 2001;IARC 1997). Previous investigations have shown alterations in humoral immunity, but with no consistent dose-response relationship and often with poor control for confounders (Neubert et al 2000).…”

A review of the role of lymphoma markers and occupational and environmental exposures

“…Neubert et al (1993) reported no significant change in immunological cell subsets and multiple monoclonal antibody markers among workers exposed to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD)/polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in a German study on workers involved in the decontamination of a chemical plant, who had moderately increased dioxin body burdens. However, in a follow-up study, they reported a significant decrease in plasma concentrations of IgG1 in exposed workers (Neubert et al 2000). No differences were reported for other immunoglobulins (IgM, IgA, IgD, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4) and cytokines of IL1, IL1ß, IL6, and TNF-.…”