Immunological and molecular biological study in occupational, environmental and community health

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In this study, we measured minute lymphocyte subpopulations using two-color staining in subjects relevant to the fields of occupational and environmental medicine and community medicine. In addition, we tried to apply the molecular biology for solving the problems in occupational medicine. We obtained the following findings.1.We found a selective decrease in CD4+CD45RA+T cells in workers who had been exposed to aromatic amines. On the other hand, we found an increase in CD57+CD16 natural killer (NK) cells in these workers.2.A selective increase in CD4+CD29+T cells was found in smokers.3.By the analyzes controlling for the effects of smoking, we found (1) an increase in CD4+T cells in smokers and (2) the decreasing effects of chromates on CD4+T and CD8+T cells were stronger than those of aromatic amines.4.Both CD4+T and CD8+T cells were decreased in workers who had been exposed to chromates. Moreover, decreases in CD4+CD45RA+T cells and CD57+CD16+NK cells (with intermediate NK activity) were found in chromate workers.5.A significant decrease in CD3+CD45RO+(memory) T cells were found in lead workers after adjusting for the effects of age and smoking. We found the elevated IgG in 2 workers exposed to high level of lead after 10 (6) week injections of Ca-EDTA,suggesting the improved functions of antibody production.6.A significant decrease in CD4+CD45RA+T cells was found in Korean workers exposed to high level of mercury.7.We found no mutations in K-ras, H-ras and p53 genes in extracted DNA from samples of the primary tumors of malignant mesothelioma in 7 asbestos patients by the SSCP and sequencing methods.