RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Changes in lymphocyte subsets in workers exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)
JF Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JO Occup Environ Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 781
OP 786
DO 10.1136/oemed-2011-100463
VO 69
IS 11
A1 Fatemeh Saberi Hosnijeh
A1 Virissa Lenters
A1 Daisy Boers
A1 Lützen Portengen
A1 Ellen Baeten
A1 H Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita
A1 Dick JJ Heederik
A1 Andries C Bloem
A1 Roel Vermeulen
YR 2012
UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/69/11/781.abstract
AB Objectives 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is known to have toxic effects on the haematopoietic system in animals but epidemiological studies in humans have shown inconsistent results. In this cross-sectional study we investigated changes in peripheral blood cell counts and lymphocyte subsets among workers from a Dutch historical cohort occupationally exposed to chlorophenoxy herbicides and contaminants including TCDD. Methods Forty-seven workers who had been exposed to high levels of TCDD in the past and 38 low-exposed workers were included in the current investigation. Complete blood counts and differential and major lymphocyte subsets were analysed. Current plasma levels of TCDD (TCDDcurrent) were determined by high-resolution gas chromatography/isotope-dilution high resolution mass spectrometry. TCDD blood levels at the time of last exposure (TCDDmax) were estimated using a one-compartment first order kinetic model. Results Cell counts and lymphocyte subsets were similar between high- and low-exposed workers, except for a non-dose dependent increase in CD4/CD8 ratio among high-exposed workers. Interestingly, most lymphocyte subsets, in particular the B cell compartment, showed a decrease with increasing levels of both TCDDcurrent and TCDDmax. Conclusions Overall, our study showed that plasma TCDD levels had no effect on white blood cell counts and major subsets. However, a non-significant decrease in most lymphocyte subsets was noted, with the strongest effect for B cells. The latter finding may suggest that dioxin exposure might have an adverse impact on the haematopoietic system and lends some support to B cell lymphoma induction by dioxin.