Kolenic J., Ciderova A., Palcakova D., Petrovicova J., Kolenic P., Kral'ova T.

Dept. of Occupational Diseases, Dept. of Medical Informatics, Medical Faculty, University of Safarik, Kosice
Dept. of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Kosice, Dept. of Pat. Anatomy, Presov, Slovak Republic

The central nervous system is the critical organ for exposure to mercury (Hg) vapour (1). Hg can interfere with the immune system ad may lead to the development of an immunologically mediated glomerulonephritis (2). A possible Hg induced humoral immune response was examined by determination of circulating immunoglobulins (Ig: IgA, IgG, IgM) and autoantibodies (auto-Ab) towards glomeruli and other tissue.
Methods: Serum concentrations of Ig were determined by radial immunodiffusion method and presence of auto-Ab to glomerular basement membrane antigen (anti-GBM), tubular basement membrane (anti-TBM) and smooth muscle (SM) were measured by indirect immunofluorescence test.
Comparisons of the examined parameters (Ig, auto-Ab) between the exposed to Hg (E) and the unexposed (UE) groups were made with Student's t test. Dose-effect relations were studied with Pearson's correlation coefficient.
Results: Serum concentration of IgG (examined in 116 subjects of the E group and 52 of the UE group) in the E group tended to be low compared with controls (mean E group=11.2 g/L; mean UE group=12.4 g/L) (P <0.01). None of the other Ig (IgA, IgM) differed significantly between the two groups. In the E group there was statistically significant negative correlation between IgG and U-Hg (r = -0.47; P<0.01). There was a significantly more frequent occurence of anti-GBM in the E group (N=35) (54%) as compared with 9% in the UE group (N=33) (P<O.O1). The frequency of anti-TBM was 9.1% (E group) vs. 3.0% in the UE group (NS). Moreover, the E group showed a remarkably more frequent occurence of auto-Ab against SM (50% in UE 9%) (P< 0.01).
Conclusions: The findings pointed out an alteration of the immune system in persons working in the risk of metal mercury vapours.

References

1. Langworth, S. et al., Br. J. Ind. Med., 1992, 49, 545-555
   
2. Bernard A.M. et al., Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health., 1987, 59, 303-309