Abstract
Objective. The aim of the study is to estimate the immune function through cytokine profiles in sera of uranium mines. Methods. Antibody arrays were used to detect 50 cytokines in sera of uranium miners. Miners who had continuously worked underground for <5 years were treated as control group and those who worked for ⩾5 years as experimental group. Results. Of 28 measurable cytokines, the release of IL-1α, IL-1RI, IL-15, IL-3, and IP-10 were significantly upregulated in the experimental group, and no cytokine was found significantly downregulated. Other proinflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-6, and TNFα levels were slightly upregulated in the experimental group. With adjustment to age, BMI, and cigarette smoking, IL-1α and IL-3 levels increased significantly with underground time. Conclusion. Alteration of cytokine profiles in this study may indicate persistent inflammatory responses in uranium miners exposed to long-term low doses radiation.
Highlights
The immune-suppressing effect of high-dose radiation was clearly demonstrated and confirmed both in experimental and epidemiological studies [1, 2]
The levels of 28 cytokines measured in selected 50 cytokines showed that IL-1α, IL-1RI, IL-15, IL-3, and IP-10 levels were significantly upregulated in miners working for more than 5 years and there was no significantly downregulated cytokines between the two groups
Taking the results mentioned above, our study provided further evidence of persistent inflammatory response in persons exposed to low dose radiation (LDR)
Summary
The immune-suppressing effect of high-dose radiation was clearly demonstrated and confirmed both in experimental and epidemiological studies [1, 2]. External radiation represents 28% of total dose for underground miners [13], and, in China, gamma radiation dose that underground miners received was about 4 mSv/year based on the monitoring data gained in recent years [14]. It had been observed, in human populations inhabiting nearby a deactivated uranium mine, that immune functions were impaired by a significantly decreased NK and T lymphocytes counts [15]. The epidemiology study of uranium miners concerning immune function is scarce
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