Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China; Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713, GZ, The Netherlands; GRIAC Research Institute, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713, GZ, The Netherlands.
Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China; Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2018 Mar;616-617:988-995. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.220. Epub 2017 Oct 31.
Chronic exposure to heavy metals could affect cell-mediated immunity. The aim of this study was to explore the status of memory T cell development in preschool children from an e-waste recycling area. Blood lead (Pb) levels, peripheral T cell subpopulations, and serum levels of cytokines (IL-2/IL-7/IL-15), relevant to generation and homeostasis of memory T cells were evaluated in preschool children from Guiyu (e-waste-exposed group) and Haojiang (reference group). The correlations between blood Pb levels and percentages of memory T cell subpopulations were also evaluated. Guiyu children had higher blood Pb levels and increased percentages of CD4 central memory T cells and CD8 central memory T cells than in the Haojiang group. Moreover, blood Pb levels were positively associated with the percentages of CD4 central memory T cells. In contrast, Pb exposure contributed marginally in the change of percentages of CD8 central memory T cells in children. There was no significant difference in the serum cytokine levels between the e-waste-exposed and reference children. Taken together, preschool children from an e-waste recycling area suffer from relatively higher levels of Pb exposure, which might facilitate the development of CD4 central memory T cells in these children.
慢性暴露于重金属可能会影响细胞介导的免疫。本研究旨在探索电子废物回收区学龄前儿童记忆 T 细胞发育的状况。评估了来自贵屿（电子废物暴露组）和濠江（参考组）的学龄前儿童的血铅（Pb）水平、外周 T 细胞亚群以及与记忆 T 细胞生成和稳态相关的细胞因子（IL-2/IL-7/IL-15）水平。还评估了血 Pb 水平与记忆 T 细胞亚群百分比之间的相关性。贵屿儿童的血 Pb 水平和 CD4 中央记忆 T 细胞及 CD8 中央记忆 T 细胞的百分比均高于濠江组。此外，血 Pb 水平与 CD4 中央记忆 T 细胞的百分比呈正相关。相比之下，Pb 暴露对儿童 CD8 中央记忆 T 细胞百分比的变化影响不大。电子废物暴露组和参考组儿童的血清细胞因子水平无显著差异。综上所述，来自电子废物回收区的学龄前儿童遭受相对较高水平的 Pb 暴露，这可能促进这些儿童 CD4 中央记忆 T 细胞的发育。
