Imunophenotypic Evaluation as a Tool for Monitoring Risks for Blood Malignancies in Gas Station Workers.

Background: Gas station workers are exposed to carcinogenic substances with impact on the hematologic and immune systems. The aim was to apply the immunophenotyping as a tool in the biological monitoring. Methods: This is a workplace-based case-control study with 49 workers and 26 controls. Medical interviews, hematological exams, and immunophenotyping analyses were performed. According to risk behavior (cleaning flannel and mistrust in the automatic fuel supply) the workers were divided into two groups: low risk (group 1) and high risk (group 2). Results: The results showed that CD16, HLA-DR, CD25, CD56+, CD16 CD56 low, and CD56 high expressions were higher in workers when compared to the control group (P =0.020, P =0.001, P =0.001; P =0.034, P=0.023, and P =0.008, respectively). The expressions of CD2, CD8, CD10, CD8low, and CD4/CD8 ratios were lower (P =0.016, P =0.001, P=0.001, P= 0.017, P = 0.0259, and P =0.029, respectively). Headache and paresthesia complaints were associated with workers when compared to the control group (OR = 4.091, 95% CI, 1.400 -11.951, P = 0.014; OR =12.12, 95% CI, 1.505 - 97.61, P =0.004). Using cleaning flannel and mistrust in the automatic fuel supply (risk behaviors) were associated with group 2 (OR = 9.71, 95% CI, 2.60-36.26, P = 0.005; OR = 18.18, 95% CI, 2.04-161.37, P = 0.004). Conclusions: The results strengthen the worker's immunosuppression hypothesis, which may contribute to some disorders and the carcinogenesis process. The evaluation of the immune system by flow cytometry is a promising tool for monitoring blood malignancy risk in addition to regular classic hematological exams.

Experimental validation of the complement protein C3a down expression in the plasma of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.

OBJECTIVES: We have previously shown the importance of the complement system in differentiating between patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis (SCCP) and controls. These patients had low expression of C3a and C4 fragments. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the complement protein C3a as a potential circulating biomarker in these patients by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Plasma samples from 39 patients with SCCP, 15 patients with prostate cancer, and 50 healthy male subjects were evaluated using the ELISA-Bioscience OptEIA Kit human anti-C3a (BD). The nonparametric Mann-Whitney test was used for comparison of means among the groups. RESULTS: The complement protein C3a was found down expressed in patients with SCCP (P<0.05) in comparison to either subjects with good health or subjects with prostate cancer. CONCLUSION: Experimental validation of the down expression of C3a was well succeeded using a commercial ELISA kit. Complement system fragment C3a is down expressed in patients with SCCP. Besides, C3a is also low expressed in the plasma of patients with initial prostate cancer when compared to healthy subjects. These results suggest that the innate immune response might be suppressed in patients with these malignancies.