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Natural killer cell activity in cigarette smokers and asbestos workers

Journal Article · · Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5016750
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In order to evaluate the effects of cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure on cellular immunity, the authors tested a group of cigarette smokers and asbestos workers for natural killer (NK) activity in the peripheral blood. The mean NK activity in cigarette smokers was lower than in normal subjects (13.7 +/- 1.6 versus 29.0 +/- 3%; p less than 0.05). As a group, the mean NK activity for the asbestos-exposed group was also reduced compared with that of the nonsmoking control group (22.6 +/- 3.2%; p less than 0.05). When divided according to the smoking status, the asbestos workers who were nonsmokers or ex-smokers showed similar decreases in NK activity compared with normal subjects (19.5 +/- 6.2 and 21.2 +/- 4.5%, respectively; p less than 0.05). A subgroup of asbestos-exposed subjects who currently smoked showed no decrease in NK activity. The data show that NK activity is reduced in the peripheral blood of cigarette smokers and asbestos workers. The relatively normal NK activity found in asbestos workers who also smoked is unexplained. Impairment of NK activity is a potential mechanism for the increased incidence of infection and cancer in smokers and neoplasia in asbestos workers.

OSTI ID:
5016750
Journal Information:
Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States) Vol. 6; ISSN ARDSB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
ANIMAL CELLS
ASBESTOS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CELL KILLING
COLLOIDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DISEASE INCIDENCE
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
FUNCTIONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHOCYTES
MATERIALS
NEOPLASMS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
RESIDUES
SMOKES
SOLS
SOMATIC CELLS
TOBACCO SMOKES