Cytokine expression and cytokine-based T-cell profiling in occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis due to trichloroethylene.

Early diagnosis and treatment of occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis due to trichloroethylene (OMLDT) are absence of specific and reliable diagnostic/therapeutic biomarkers. This study was conducted on 30 cases of OMLDT, 58 workers exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE) and 40 unexposed controls in order to identify any cytokine signatures that give an index to CD4+T cell differential and serve as biomarkers of OMLDT. Expression profiles of Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg cell type-specifying transcription factors and cytokines were analyzed using real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay. To explore whether such expression profiles reflected their steady state plasma levels, a Luminex liquid fluorescence analysis was conducted. We found that the expression of transcription factors FoxP3 transcription factors (P = 0.006 and P < 0.0001) and IL-10 cytokine (P = 0.0008 and P < 0.0001) of the Treg subset were significantly higher in patients than TCE exposure workers and unexposed controls, suggesting that Treg cells were active after the occurrence of OMLDT. The transcript levels of IL-6 were significantly lower in the TCE exposure groups including patients and exposure workers as compared to the unexposed controls (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0008). Circulating levels of assessed cytokines of IL-6 (P = 0.001 and P = 0.011) and TFN-α (P = 0.005 and P < 0.0001) were lower in the exposure groups than in the unexposed controls. Compared to the controls, the levels of IL-10 in patients were higher (P = 0.001 and P = 0.0008). There was a significantly positive correlation between the plasma levels IL-6 and IL-10 in TCE exposed workers. These alterations in the expression of transcription factors and cytokines highlight the underlying dysregulation of T cell subsets in OMLDT that reflect an immune tolerance or immune inhibition. Therefore, the elevation of IL-10 level may be a kind of pathogenesis indicator, and the decline in IL-6 level may be a kind of TCE exposure biomarker. These biomarkers need additional longitudinal follow-up studies to warrant to clinically useful biomarkers of OMLDT.

Barrier function and natural moisturizing factor levels after cumulative exposure to a fruit-derived organic acid and a detergent: different outcomes in atopic and healthy skin and relevance for occupational contact dermatitis in the food industry.

BACKGROUND: Fruit-derived organic compounds and detergents are relevant exposure factors for occupational contact dermatitis in the food industry. Although individuals with atopic dermatitis (AD) are at risk for development of occupational contact dermatitis, there have been no controlled studies on the effects of repeated exposure to multiple irritants, relevant for the food industry, in atopic skin. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the outcomes of repeated exposure to a fruit-derived organic acid and a detergent in AD compared to healthy volunteers. METHODS: The volunteers were exposed to 2.0% acetic acid (AcA) and/or 0.5% sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in controlled tandem repeated irritation test. The outcomes were assessed by measurements of erythema, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and natural moisturizing factor (NMF) levels. RESULTS: In the AD volunteers, repeated AcA exposure led to barrier disruption and significant TEWL increase; no significant differences after the same exposure in the healthy controls were found. Repeated exposure to SLS and the irritant tandems enhanced the reactions and resulted in a significantly higher increase in TEWL in the AD compared to the control group. Cumulative irritant exposure reduced the NMF levels in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in the severity of irritant-induced barrier impairment in atopic individuals contribute to the risk for occupational contact dermatitis in result of multiple exposures to food-derived irritants and detergents.

Occupational asthma and dermatitis induced by eugenol in a cleaner

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[Information value of lipid peroxidation parameters in patients with occupational allergic dermatoses].

Evaluation of lipid peroxidation in patients with occupational allergic dermatoses revealed activation of free radical oxidation. Serum levels of diene conjugates and end products of free radical lipid peroxidation appeared to be informative parameters for assessing influences on body system and for estimating the disease severity and the individual protective means efficiency.

Dermatotoxicity of cutting fluid mixtures:in vitro and in vivo studies.

Cutting fluids are widely used in the metal-machining industry to lubricate and reduce heat generation when metals are cut by a metal-cutting tool. These cutting fluids have caused occupational irritant contact dermatitis (OICD), and many of the additives used in these cutting fluid mixtures are thought to be responsible for OICD in workers. The purpose of this study was to assess single or various combinations of these additives in initiating the OICD response following an acute 8-hour exposure in porcine skin in vivo and in vitro using the isolated perfused porcine skin flap (IPPSF) and human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK). Pigs (n = 4) were exposed to 5% mineral oil (MO) or 5% polyethylene glycol (PEG) aqueous mixtures containing various combinations of 2% triazine (TRI), 5% triethanolamine (TEA), 5% linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), or 5% sulfurized ricinoleic acid (SRA). Erythema and edema were evaluated and skin biopsies for histopathology were obtained at 4 and 8 hours. IPPSFs (n = 4) were exposed to control MO or PEG mixtures and complete MO or PEG mixtures, and perfusate samples were collected hourly to determine interleukin- (IL-) 8 release. The only significant (p < 0.05) mixture effects observed in IPPSFs were with SRA + MO that caused an increase in IL-8 release after 1 or 2 hours' exposure. In vivo exposure to TRI alone appeared to increase erythema, edema, and dermal inflammation compared to the other additives, while SRA alone was least likely to initiate a dermal inflammatory response. In 2-component mixture exposures, the presence of TRI appeared to increase the dermal inflammatory response at 4 and 8 hours especially with the PEG mixtures. In the 3- and 4-component mixtures, MO mixtures are more likely to incite an inflammatory response than PEG mixtures. TRI exhibited the highest toxicity toward HEK, which correlates well to the in vivo irritation and morphology results. In summary, these preliminary studies suggest that the biocide, TRI, is the more potent of the 4 performance additives in causing dermal irritation, and this may vary depending on whether the worker is exposed to a synthetic (PEG)- or MO-based fluid. These findings will however require further clinical studies to validate these acute dermal effects as well as human cumulative irritation following exposure to similar cutting fluid formulations in the workplace.

Investigation into different skin conditions in certain occupations.

The aim of this study was to establish whether those working in certain occupations had skin with a Lower moisture content than would be considered normaL. Skin moisture levels were measured as well as visual assessment. Results indicated that all occupational groups studied had skin that was less well hydrated than would be considered normal, although there were significant inter-individual variations within any one group. These variations were at least as significant as occupation. Awareness of the need to use gloves as protection against chemicals and to use emollients to restore condition was low, as was compliance.

Chromium induced contact dermatitis and indices for diagnosis.

Chromium exposure plays an important role in development of contact dermatitis. The prevalence of contact dermatitis among tannery workers and cement-exposed workers is high. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of contact dermatitis among some Egyptian workers exposed to chromium and to investigate the role of patch test and IgE immunoassay in diagnosis of contact dermatitis. Eighty-three male workers who were exposed to chromium were selected after application of certain exclusion criteria to be the target population of this study. Forty male workers away from exposure to chromium were taken to be the controls. All the exposed and non exposed workers were investigated through an interview questionnaire, clinical examination, patch test and determination of blood and urine chromium levels, absolute eosinophilic count and total IgE level. The results showed that there was no significant difference between exposed workers with clinically diagnosed contact dermatitis and the clinically free exposed workers regarding age and work duration. 7.7% of exposed workers with positive patch test suffered from contact dermatitis while 31.6% of exposed workers with negative patch test suffered from contact dermatitis. There was no statistically significant difference between clinically diagnosed contact dermatitis workers and clinically free workers regarding blood and urine chromium levels. IgE level and absolute eosinophilic count were statistically higher among exposed workers with contact dermatitis than among clinically free exposed workers. According to the results of this study, it is concluded that the diagnosis of skin hypersensitivity to chromium should depend upon the history of chromium exposure, clinical examination and a battery of investigations including IgE level, eosinophilic count and patch test.

A screening of skin changes, with special emphasis on neurochemical marker antibody evaluation, in patients claiming to suffer from "screen dermatitis" as compared to normal healthy controls.

In the present study, facial skin from so-called "screen dermatitis" patients were compared with corresponding material from normal healthy volunteers. The aim of the study was to evaluate possible markers to be used for future double-blind or blind provocation investigations. Differences were found for the biological markers calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), somatostatin (SOM), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), peptide histidine isoleucine amide (PHI), neuropeptide tyrosine (NPY), protein S-100 (S-100), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT). The overall impression in the blind-coded material was such that it turned out easy to blindly separate the two groups from each other. However, no single marker was 100% able to pin-point the difference, although some were quite powerful in doing so (CGRP, SOM, S-100). However, it has to be pointed out that we cannot, based upon the present results, draw any definitive conclusions about the cause of the changes observed. Whether this is due to electric or magnetic fields, a surrounding airborne chemical, humidity, heating, stress factors, or something else, still remains an open question. Blind or double-blind provocations in a controlled environment are necessary to elucidate possible underlying causes for the changes reported in this investigation.

Chromium content in human skin after in vitro application of ordinary cement and ferrous-sulphate-reduced cement.

The amount of chromium found in human skin after in vitro application of cement suspensions on full-thickness human skin in diffusion cells was investigated. Cement suspensions made from ordinary Portland cement or Portland cement with the chromate reduced with added ferrous sulphate were used. The cement suspensions were either applied on the skin surface under occlusion for 48 h or applied repeatedly every 24 h for 96 h. No statistically significant difference in chromium content of skin layers between skin exposed to ordinary Portland cement, skin exposed to cement with added ferrous sulphate and unexposed skin was observed, despite a more permeable skin barrier at the alkaline pH of the cement suspensions, i.e., pH 12.5. Increased chromium levels in epidermis and dermis were seen when ordinary Portland cement was applied as a suspension with added sodium sulphate (20%) on the skin surface for 96 h. The content of water-soluble chromium in ordinary Portland cement may vary due to the alkali sulphate content of the cement.

[Skin reactivity and the biological assessment of chromium exposure]. / Kozhna reaktivnost i biologichna otsenka za vuzdeistvieto na khroma.

Subject to the examination are 140 workers from the plant for hydraulic products "Iv. Tenev", town of Yambol. The dermatological examination embraces 57 workers from shop 21, 49 from shop 24 and control group of 24 persons. The examination establishes skin changes in 24.6% of the workers from shop 21 and in 38.7% in those from shop 24. In the same workers were proved occupational dermatoses respectively in 5.3% for these of the first shop and in 14.3% for those of the second shop. The results of the test of 10 workers from shop 24 gave positivation of the test with 0.5% chromic anhydride at 10.5%. The studies for toxicokinetics of chromium in the examined workers proved its high values in urine, erythrocytes and nails. Raised chromium levels are established in the urine of those working with chromium in comparison with the control group (p 0.0001). There is a good correlation dependence between the chromium in urine and in erythrocytes (r = 0.71; n = 45%; p < 0.0001). Persons, eliminating significant quantities of chromium in the urine have higher values of chromium in erythrocytes, which shows that the chromium entering the organism of workers in contact with chromium is 6-valent. The connection with the chromium in urine and in nails is more lightly expressed and is statistically insignificant (r = 0.35; n = 29; p < 0.05), which is due to the fact that the chromium in urine reflects the near exposure in time, while chromium in nails--the level of exposure before 6-8 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Lipid abnormalities in workers exposed to dioxin.

Ten years after an incident in which workers were exposed to tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) a controlled biochemical study showed statistically significant increases in the serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations of workers both with and without chloracne. Urinary excretion of D-glucaric acid was significantly higher for all workers.

[Penetration of chromate ions in damaged and undamaged skin of sensitized and nonsensitized individuals occupationally exposed to chromates]. / Untersuchung zur Permeation von Chromationen in die geschädigte und nichtgeschädigte Haut sensibilisierter und nichtsensibilisierter Personen mit beruflicher Chromatexposition.

The importance of oversensitivity to chromate within the framework of occupational dermatoses is sufficiently well known. Questions still remained unanswered as to which substances and solutions in which form and quantity sensitivity to chromate occurs. Further, it is unclear why one worker reacts allergically and another remains unaffected carrying out the same work. In spite of all attempts it is as a rule still impossible to predict who will be affected. By investigating the penetration of chromate ions, we wanted to draw attention to possible dangers those beginning work are exposed to. We are aware that a complex series of questions exists but that only a small part can be approached at once. It appeared appropriate to determine whether the level of penetration of the metal ions differs between individuals, in particular whether the rate is higher in sensitive than in non-sensitive people. To handle this question a method had to be found to determine metal ions with and without exposure in the skin.

[Alkali neutralization and alkali resistance in persons with healthy skin and in eczema patients]. / Alkalineutralisation und Alkaliresistenz bei Hautgesunden und Ekzemkranken.

Alkali resistance (AR) and alkali neutralisation (AN) time, according to Tronnier and Bussius, were measured at three month intervals on 77 people with healthy skin and compared with test results from 205 patients with occupational dermatitis for whom expert opinion had been given once or several times. It was established that AN and AR react independently of one another. No significant difference was noted in either of the groups with reference to sex, age, occupation and skin type, nor in the ill patients with reference to the duration of the dermatitis, reduction in earning capacity, sensitivity or state of illness at the time opinion was given. Both AN and AR changed usually in the course of occupational dermatitis, however not parallel to one another, nor in relation to the respective skin condition. An and AR results from the dermatitis patients are significantly worse than those from persons with healthy skin tested as comparison. 35% of the healthy persons had pathological AR. In spite of considerable variations in AN in individuals, a satisfactory reproduction of the test results was obtained both for the AN and AR in repeated investigations.