Effects of Lead Exposure in Printing Houses on Immune and Neurobehavioral Functions of Women

Abstract

Effects of Lead Exposure in Printing Houses on Immune and Neurobehavioral Functions of Women: Niu Qiao, et al. Department of Occupational Health, Shanxi Medical University, China—The object of this study was the effect of lead (Pb) exposure on immune and neurobehavioral parameters of 16 women with a mean age of 34 yr who worked for an average of 12 yr in three printing houses in Taiyuan (Shanxi Province, China). The women were not occupationally exposed to toxic agents other than Pb. Mean air Pb in the printing houses was about 25 jug/m3, mean blood Pb of the workers was 28.6 μg/61 and that of the referents 12.4. The referent group of 36 women, resident in the same industrialised and traffic busy city, was of similar age, working activity, lifestyle and education of the Pb‐exposed group. The Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB) was utilised; some of the NCTB scores, including the simple reaction time, Digit Symbol, Pursuit Aiming II (PA) and correct PA, were significantly lower in the Pb exposed group, whereas all the negative Profile Mood States (POMS) scores were slightly higher in the workers (some with a significant difference) indicating a negative psychological effect of Pb. Lymphocyte subsets were determined in 16 of the Pb exposed women and in 16 referent women with similar age and lifestyle of the whole group of 36 controls. CD4+‐CD45RO+ “memory” T lymphocytes of the workers were significantly higher than those of control women, whereas NK and B CD3‐HLA‐DR+ and NK CD16+‐CD56+ lymphocytes of the Pb exposed women were much lower than those of the referent group. We suggest that the reduction of blood CD16+‐CD56+ lymphocytes in the workers in the printing houses may depend either on a direct effect of Pb exposure on the immune system or on an effect mediated by the neuroendocrine system.

Potential Health Risks to DOD Firing-Range Personnel from Recurrent Lead Exposure

“…Alterations in the immune response that can be easily studied in humans are limited and are primarily reflective of changes in circulating leukocyte profiles and Ig concentrations. Some studies of lead-exposed workers have reported lead-associated differences in serum Ig concentrations, percentages of CD4 + T H cells, increased circulating B-lymphocytes, decreased NK cells, and impaired lymphoblastogenesis (Ewers et al 1982;Horiguchi et al 1992;Fischbein et al 1993;Queiroz et al 1993;Undeger et al 1996;Pinkerton et al 1998;Basaran and Undege 2000;El-Safty and Metwally 1995;Kuo et al 2001;Qiao et al 2001;Ayatollahi 2002;Mishra et al 2003Mishra et al , 2006Heo et al 2004;Valentino et al 2007;Mishra et al 2010;Garcia-Leston et al 2011). In contrast, other human investigations at similar BLLs demonstrated opposite or no effects on the same characteristics (Horiguchi et al 1992;Queiroz et al 1994;Pinkerton et al 1998;Heo et al 2004;Mishra et al 2006;Freije and Dairi 2009).…”

“…Although studies of the effects of lead exposure on children are plentiful, few have examined effects on the adult immune system, and their results have often been contradictory. There are, however, compelling indications from epidemiologic and worker studies that lead can induce immune alterations in exposed humans (Fischbein et al 1993;Undeger et al 1996;Kuo et al 2001;Qiao et al 2001;Mishra et al 2003;Mishra 2009;Garcia-Leston et al 2011), particularly changes in B lymphocytes; in the nature, extent, and spectrum of circulating antibodies; and in T-lymphocyte profiles. The exact mechanisms whereby lead interacts with the immune system remains unclear.…”

“…Although most worker studies have examined the immunotoxic effects of lead exposure on men, a study by Qiao et al (2001) examined women who worked an average of 12 years in printing houses in China. The mean air lead concentration was about 25 (± 19) µg/m 3 , and average BLLs of the workers were about 29 (± 15) µg/dL; the study referent group had an average BLL of 12.4 µg/dL.…”

“…Potential modes of action include oxidative stress through increased ROS production and inactivation of nitric oxide; hormonal and blood-pressure regulatory system dysfunction through alteration of the adrenergic and renin-angiotensin systems; vasomodulation through increases in Relevant to BLL of instructors on firing ranges. Qiao et al 2001 Significantly increased plasma IL-10 TNF-α Male workers with occupational exposure to lead (30-61 y old) Low-exposure group: BLL = 3.9 (± 1.8) µg/dL, ALAD = 265.2 U/mL, ZPP = 5.5 µg/dL; high-exposure group: BLL = 9.7 (± 4.2) µg/dL, ALAD = 224.6 U/mL, ZPP = 26.2 µg/dL p < 0.05 for IL-10, TNF-α for both low and high BLL groups compared with nonexposed workers.…”

Altered Cytokine Production in Mice Exposed to Lead Acetate

“…Moreover, peripheral B lymphocytes were shown decreased in Pb exposed workers (7). Qiao et al (8) reported a reduction of blood NK CD 16+-CD56+ lymphocytes in women chronically Pb-exposed in printing houses. It was suggested that this reduction may depend either on a direct effect of Pb exposure on the immune system or on an effect mediated by the neuroendocrine system.…”