The kinetics of cell surface receptor expression in children perinatally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls

J Immunotoxicol. 2011 Oct-Dec;8(4):367-80. doi: 10.3109/1547691X.2011.620037.

Abstract

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) during pre-natal and early life can alter normal immune system development. Blood specimens from newborns, 6-, and 16-month-old infants were collected in the Michalovce and Svidnik/Stropkov districts, areas with, respectively, high and low environmental PCB contamination, and lymphocyte receptor expression was evaluated by multi-color flow cytometry. The results indicate that the percentage of lymphoid dendritic cells (DC) and naïve/resting T-lymphocytes were significantly increased at 6-months in Michalovce as compared to the same cell types in cord blood samples (p < 0.001), whereas natural regulatory T-lymphocytes and suppressor inducer T-lymphocytes were reduced (p < 0.001). Overall, a positive linear correlation of terminally differentiated effector memory (TEM) T-lymphocyte population with age, but a negative linear correlation for myeloid DC from birth to 6-months in both regions were found. Michalovce samples indicated significantly higher expression of memory T-lymphocytes (birth, 6(th), and 16(th) month), TEM T-lymphocytes (birth and 6(th) month), and lymphoid DC (6(th) month) compared to the Svidnik/Stropkov regions. After adjustment for relevant covariates, such as maternal age, parity, season of birth, breastfeeding, birth weight, and gender, the myeloid DC, suppressor inducer T-lymphocytes, truly naïve helper/inducer T-lymphocytes, and TEM T-lymphocytes remained significantly different between districts in cord blood samples. The multivariate analysis models for 6- and 16-month samples showed district differences in all cellular determinants, except for lymphoid DC and macrophage-like cells. This study provides the first evidence that pre-natal and early post-natal exposure to PCBs affects the dynamics of cell surface receptor expression on lymphoid DC and DC-like cells, suggesting impaired immunologic development following pre-natal and early post-natal PCB exposure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects*
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Environmental Pollutants / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Fetal Blood / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Maternal Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls / adverse effects*
  • Pregnancy
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / drug effects*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls