Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China; Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2017 Nov;145:615-622. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.07.059. Epub 2017 Aug 12.
Heavy metal lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are widespread environmental contaminants and exert detrimental effects on the immune system. We evaluated the association between Pb/Cd exposures and innate immune cells in children from an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling area. A total number of 294 preschool children were recruited, including 153 children from Guiyu (e-waste exposed group), and 141 from Haojiang (reference group). Pb and Cd levels in peripheral blood were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer, NK cell percentages were detected by flow cytometer, and other innate immune cells including monocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils and basophils were immediately measured by automated hematology analyzer. Results showed children in Guiyu had significantly higher Pb and Cd levels than in reference group. Absolute counts of monocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils and basophils, as well as percentages of eosinophils and neutrophils were significantly higher in the Guiyu group. In contrast, NK cell percentages were significantly lower in Guiyu group. Pb elicited significant escalation in counts of monocytes, eosinophils and basophils, as well as percentages of monocytes, but decline in percentages of neutrophils in different quintiles with respect to the first quintile of Pb concentrations. Cd induced significant increase in counts and percentages of neutrophils in the highest quintile compared with the first quintile of Cd concentrations. We concluded alteration of the number and percentage of innate immune cells are linked to higher levels of Pb and Cd, which indicates Pb and Cd exposures might affect the innate and adaptive immune response in Guiyu children.
重金属铅（Pb）和镉（Cd）是广泛存在的环境污染物，对免疫系统有不良影响。我们评估了电子废物（e-waste）回收区儿童体内 Pb/Cd 暴露与固有免疫细胞之间的关联。共招募了 294 名学龄前儿童，其中 153 名来自贵屿（e-waste 暴露组），141 名来自濠江（对照组）。采用石墨炉原子吸收分光光度计检测外周血中 Pb 和 Cd 水平，采用流式细胞仪检测 NK 细胞百分比，采用全自动血液分析仪立即检测其他固有免疫细胞，包括单核细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞、中性粒细胞和嗜碱性粒细胞。结果显示，贵屿儿童的 Pb 和 Cd 水平明显高于对照组。贵屿组的单核细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞、中性粒细胞和嗜碱性粒细胞的绝对计数以及嗜酸性粒细胞和中性粒细胞的百分比明显较高。相比之下，贵屿组的 NK 细胞百分比明显较低。Pb 在不同 quintiles 组与第一 quintiles 组的 Pb 浓度相比，单核细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞和嗜碱性粒细胞的计数以及单核细胞的百分比显著增加，而中性粒细胞的百分比则显著降低。Cd 诱导最高 quintiles 组与第一 quintiles 组的 Cd 浓度相比，中性粒细胞的计数和百分比显著增加。我们得出结论，固有免疫细胞数量和百分比的改变与较高水平的 Pb 和 Cd 有关，这表明 Pb 和 Cd 暴露可能影响贵屿儿童的固有和适应性免疫反应。
