Correlation analysis between cytokines levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, blood T cell subsets and pneumoconiosis severity / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the correlation between the pneumoconiosis severity and the cytokines levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) or blood T cell subsets.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The subjects were divided into five groups: control group (6 cases), group exposed to dusts (6 cases) and 3 pneumoconiosis groups (36 in stage I, 12 in stage II and 10 in stage III). ELISA was used to detect IL-6, sIL-2R and TNF-α levels in serum and BALF. The subsets of blood T cells were classified by flow cytometer.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As compared with control group and group exposed to dusts, the levels of serum IL-6 and sIL-2R in patients with II or III stages significantly increased, which were positively correlated with pneumoconiosis stages (r(1) = 0.74, r(2) = 0.81, P < 0.05). The level of serum TNF-α significantly decreased in patients with III stages, as compared with control group and group exposed to dusts. There was a negative correlation between serum TNF-α level and pneumoconiosis severity (r = -0.58, P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the levels of IL-6, sIL-2R and TNF-α in BALF and the levels of IL-6, sIL-2R and TNF-α in serum (r(1) = 0.77, r(2) = 0.96 and r(3) = 0.88, P < 0.05). The proportion of CD(4)(+)T cells and the ratio of CD(4)(+)/CD(8)(+) decreased dramatically in patients with II and III stages. But there was no correlation between these values and disease severity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The immune function in Th cell was inhibited. The levels of IL-6, sIL-2R and TNF-α in serum and BALF were associated with the severity of pneumoconiosis.</p>