Immune regulation features in workers engaged into underground mining of chromite ores

Abstract

The study of immune regulation features in workers engaged into underground mining of chromite ores demonstrated that high serum chromium levels were associated with increased phagocytic activity, if compared to physiologic normal values, in 25.7% of the workers. Findings also are phagocytic activity reliably changed by phagocytic index criterion, and significantly (1.2–1.33 times) increased absolute and relative phagocytosis and phagocytic index vs. the reference group values. IgM levels appeared 1.2 times lower vs. the reference group values, in association with IgG deficiency and increased IgA production vs. the reference values. The authors also revealed changes in cellular subpopulations balance and T-cell receptors transformation, with depressed regulatory marker CD95 in 90.0% in the main group workers, and higher number of CD4+CD25+CD127 lymphocytes, increased CD3+ and CD4+ cells 1.5- and 1.2-fold respectively vs. the reference group values. Other findings are disordered launching and regulation of apoptosis via lower Fas-receptor expression and changed balance of regulatory proteins Bcl–2 and Bax vs. the normal value in 50.0–62.5% of the workers, with reliable 2.6-fold increase of Bax level vs. the reference group.