The levels of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) in the four seasons in uranium miners.

A cohort of 104 miners working for a long time in one uranium mine was examined on the blood serum immunoglobulins IgG, IgA, and IgM content. A significant circum-annual oscillations of the values of all three Ig were shown. The peaks of the IgG values were reached in summer, those of IgA in winter, and those of IgM in spring. The largest drops of the IgG values were reached in spring, those of IgA in summer, and those of IgM in autumn. The frequency distribution analysis suggested the possibility that a subpopulation separating itself from its remainder takes part in the seasonal swing towards the low level limits of the Ig.

Decrease in pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid excretion during lung cancer disease.

A statistically significant decrease of pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid in urine was observed in lung cancer of stage I (TNM classification) when compared to that of healthy miners (chronically exposed to radiation) from the uranium industry. The difference vanishes in stage II of the disease and reappears in stage III. While nonmalignant lung diseases (bronchopneumonia and chronic bronchitis) do not interfer in the stage I with the drop of pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid excretion, in stage III of lung cancer the decrease is less pronounced and cannot be differentiated from that found in bronchopneumonia or chronic bronchitis.

E rosettes in the uranium miners with lung cancer.

Rosette forming cells (RFC) were evaluated in the peripheral blood of healthy persons, patients with lung cancer and chronic bronchitis. Simultaneously the levels of RFC in persons with and without radiation exposure were compared. Two types of rosettes were enumerated: 1) lymphocytes binding 1 or 2 sheep red blood cells (SRBC), 2) lymphocytes binding 3 or more SRBC. Then the sum of both types was calculated. The patients with lung cancer were divided according to the TNM classification and histological types. The relative and absolute numbers of RFC in 1 microliter of peripheral blood proved depressed capacity of peripheral T-lymphocytes to form rosettes not only in patients with cancer or chronic bronchitis but also in controls with radiation exposure. Furthermore, there was established that the control group with radiation exposure was not different from the patients with cancer or chronic bronchitis.

The levels of immunoglobulins (IgG. IgA. IgM) under the effect of age and exposure to the mining environment in uranium industry.

IgG, IgA, and IgM levels were measured in 347 miners working in the underground of uranium mines; in 156 men entering into the work in mines, and in 101 men working in food industry and food distribution, all in the region of Central Bohemia. Significantly elevated IgG and IgM levels were found in the subgroup of miners exposed a short time (less than five years) to the mining environment, whereas elevated IgA levels were found in the subgroup exposed more than 15 years. The comparison of differences with age-matched controls has shown that the levels of IgM are significantly increased in the miners subgroup exposed to the mining environment no more than five years. In miners subgroups above 31 years a significant decline of IgG levels occurs. The expression of Ig levels' changes is not uniform in all exposed persons; an apparent heterogeneity occurs in miners population. Some differences in IgG and IgM levels were found between the two 31- to 40-year-old control subgroups. The possible conditions for differences found are discussed from the point of view of the effect of ionizing radiation and from the point of view of the stressing influence of environment and employment.

Investigation of immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) levels in the blood serum of uranium miners after higher and lower exposure to ionizing radiation.

The levels of IgG, IgA and IgM were measured in the blood serum of uranium miners in a minin-district, where after a geological disturbance exposure to a high level of ionizing radiation took place. The mean exposure to 222-Rn daughters after first year was 7.35 WLM, after the second year 0.13 WLM only. Serum was sampled before miners started their occupation, for the second time after the first year and for the third time after the second year. The levels of IgG and IgM significantly decreased after one year of exposure, while the IgA changed only slightly. After the second year the levels of IgG and IgM significantly rose. IgG exceeded the initial levels: a regenerative hypercompensation took place. On the other hand IgA at the same time decreased. The IgG levels are only slightly correlated with radiation dose rate; for IgA and IgM the correlation is lacking. Individual Ig levels appear to be very variable. The reduction of IgG reached hypogammaglobulinemic levels in some miners after the first year and was followed by a propensity to infections of the respiratory tract. The significance of these observations is discussed from the immunological, radiological and radiohygienical point of view.

Immunoglobulins under the influence of nonspecific factors II. The influence of work-stress on levels of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) of miners in uranium mines.

In 2 groups of 22 miners each, exposed 5.4 and 10.8 years respectively to the environment of uranium mines, the serum levels of IgG, IgA, and IgM were measured before and after one workshift. In the group longer exposed the work-stress resulted in a significant decrease of all 3 classes of Ig. In the group exposed for a shorter time only the IgG decreased significantly. In the group longer exposed the initial levels of IgG were considerably lower in comparison with the group exposed for a shorter time.

Immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) values in a few population groups.

Certain significant differences were found between the mean IgG levels in four different population groups. No differences were found in the IgA and IgM classes. The highest IgG levels were found in food workers and the lowest levels in coal-miners working at the face. Surface mine employees and employees just taken on for underground work had intermediate values. On dividing the population groups into age sub-groups, significant differences were found between some of the latter. Physical stress, differences in exposure to infections, the influence of the macro- and micro-climate and spontaneous and controlled selection for given occupations are regarded as possible causes of the observed differences.