|
Mesothelioma
Treatment
Articles
and Abstracts
Circulating
natural killer cells in retired asbestos
cement workers
J
Occup Environ Med 2000
Jan;42(1):19-24
Froom
P, Lahat N, Kristal-Boneh E, Cohen C,
Lerman Y, Ribak J
Occupational
Health and Rehabilitation Institute,
Raanana, Israel.
paulf@trendline.co.il
The
effect of past exposure to asbestos on
natural killer (NK) cell number and
activity is uncertain. We measured NK cell
number and activity in 1052 retired
asbestos workers without symptomatic lung
disease, lung cancer, or mesothelioma and
with a long latency period from exposure;
results were compared with those for 100
healthy age-matched controls. The exposed
workers showed a decreased NK cell
activity and increased NK cell number,
yielding a 10.8 higher odds ratio for low
NK activity per cell compared with
controls (95% confidence interval 6.4 to
18.4), which was due to both a decrease in
NK cell activity and an increase in NK
cell number. Asbestos exposure of 10 years
or more increased the risk of low NK
activity per cell. We conclude that
exposure to asbestos is associated with
diminished effectiveness of NK cells and a
concomitant increase in the number of NK
circulating cells.
PMID:
10652684, UI: 20118277
Click here to order or save
article
If
you have any questions regarding treatment
options or your legal rights, please
contact
us.
|