PKC θ-mediated Ca/NF-AT signalling pathway may be involved in T-cell immunosuppression in coal-burning arsenic-poisoned population.

Arsenic poisoning is a worldwide endemic disease that affects thousands of people. Growing evidence from animal, cell, and human studies indicates that arsenic has deleterious effects on the immune system. The present investigation is a population-based study that observed changes in the proliferation of human T-cells and IL-2 and INF-γ mRNA expression. Our results show that coal-burning arsenic can cause T-cell immunosuppression in the population, and participates in the occurrence and development of arsenic poisoning. In addition, we analyzed the intracellular calcium index, expression of protein kinase C theta (PKC θ) and phosphorylated PKC θ, and the DNA-binding activity of NF-AT in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Our analysis demonstrates that the PKC θ-mediated Ca/NF-AT signalling pathway may be involved in the T-cell immunosuppression of coal-burning arsenic-poisoned population. This study provides important data for a mechanistic understanding of endemic arsenic poisoning.