Abstract
Individuals in occupational environments are particularly susceptible to the impacts of pollutants; making it crucial to assess systemic inflammation markers. The study aimed to evaluate the immune response to inflammation through the assessment of a cytokine profile in individuals working in vulnerable conditions exposed to heavy metals. A total of 137 adults participated in this study from three work environments: brickyards, waste scavenging and quarries. Levels of 12 metals were evaluated in urine using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and serum levels of 6 cytokines were analyzed using Multi-Bead Cytokine Assay. In the brickyard scenario, a significant percentage of subjects presented concentrations above the reference levels of Hg, As, and Pb (83.7%, 62.8%, and 16.3%; respectively). The waste scavenging and quarry workers scenario exhibited percentages of 100% and 49% for Ni, respectively. Additionally, the brickyard and waste scavenging scenarios showed the highest levels of TNF-α and INF-γ and, lower levels of IL-4 and IL-10. In the quarry scenario, an increase of IL-6 and a decrease in INF-γ were observed. Furthermore, a clustering pattern based on the type of scenario was identified, indicating a higher exposure to As, Pb, and Hg in the brickyard scenario, along with TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-10 levels. The results suggest that exposure to heavy metals in workers with precarious work conditions, present elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, which are related to the type of occupational environment.
Published Version
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