Immunopathogenesis of Occupational Disease Due to Reactive Chemicals

摘要

The role of cellular immune mechanisms in the onset and development ofoccupational asthma resulting from exposure to reactive chemicals was investigated. An assay was developed to measure histamine releasing factor (HRF) produced in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of workers exposed to diisocyanates after in vitro coincubation with diisocyanate protein antigens. The PBMCs from workers with confirmed occupational asthma demonstrated higher spontaneous HRF production than did workers with suspected diisocyanate caused occupational asthma. Mean HRF activity produced by PBMC following stimulation with a human serum albumin/diisocyanate conjugate was greatly increased in the group with confirmed asthma from diisocyanate exposure. No serum specific immunoglobulin-E was found in the group of workers. The investigators conclude that the mechanisms which are responsible for the production of HRF are independent of classical mechanisms of immediate hypersensitivity.