Associations of Blood Levels of Pcb, Hchs, And Hcb with Numbers of Lymphocyte Subpopulations, In Vitro Lymphocyte Response, Plasma Cytokine Levels, And Immunoglobulin Autoantibodies

By Opelz, Gerhard

Book Id: WPLBN0000171773
Format Type: PDF eBook
File Size: 0.1 MB
Reproduction Date: 2005

Title:	Associations of Blood Levels of Pcb, Hchs, And Hcb with Numbers of Lymphocyte Subpopulations, In Vitro Lymphocyte Response, Plasma Cytokine Levels, And Immunoglobulin Autoantibodies
Author:	Opelz, Gerhard
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Government publications, United Nations., United Nations. Office for Disarmament Affairs
Collections:	Government Library Collection, Disarmament Documents
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	United Nations- Office for Disarmament Affairs (Unoda)


Citation APA MLA Chicago Opelz, G. (n.d.). Associations of Blood Levels of Pcb, Hchs, And Hcb with Numbers of Lymphocyte Subpopulations, In Vitro Lymphocyte Response, Plasma Cytokine Levels, And Immunoglobulin Autoantibodies. Retrieved from https://self.gutenberg.org/

Description
Government Reference Publication

Excerpt
Excerpt: Pentachlorophenol (PCP), hexachlorocyclohexane- (Alpha), -(Beta), and -y (HCH-(Alpha), -(Beta), and -y), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) are widely distributed industrial chemicals. PCBs are used as components of mobile oils, elastic sealing compounds, dielectric fluids in older transformers, heat exchangers, paints and printing inks, and pesticide extenders and protection colors for concrete (1?3). The fungicidal chemicals PCP and HCH were used in wood preservatives. PCP was banned in Germany in 1989, and the use of HCH-y in pesticides was strongly reduced since 1991 (4). HCB is an organochlorine fungicide and is also used as a softening agent for plastics (5). PCBs are inert, lipid-soluble molecules and tend to accumulate in food chains in animals such as fish (6). PCBs accumulate in the human body, and their blood levels can be measured (2,7?10). In cell cultures as well as in animal experiments, all of these substances were toxic for lymphocytes in many studies (11?38), with some notable exceptions (39?43). Although there are reports of immunologic dysfunctions in patients with high exposure to these compounds (44?48), it is controversial whether the chemicals are toxic for humans. The compounds occur as mixtures, and studies on their possible interactive effects are therefore important. In previous studies we demonstrated a suppressive effect of PCP blood levels of > 10 micrograms/L on certain cellular and humoral immune parameters (38,49). To avoid an interference of high PCP levels, we excluded patients with PCP blood levels > 10 micrograms/L from the present analysis.