우사 작업자들의 세포면역력 분석

Endotoxin in dust generated at agricultural environments is known to contribute to occurrence of farmer’s lung. Iimmunological markers related with respiratory allergy was evaluated for bovine husbandry workers, and compared with the age-sex matched non - agricultural subjects. Peripheral bloods were collected from 6 workers at 3 bovine farms, and 14 control subjects. Peripheral mononuclear cells were stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin for 72 hours. Level of various cytokines produced at culture supernatants was determined using commercially available ELISA kit. Plasma levels of IgE and IgG subclass were determined. Concentration of inhalable and respirable particulate matter in indoor of the bovine farms was evaluated, and endotoxin level in the dust was measured by Limulus Amebocyte Lysate Kinetic QCL method. Level of endotoxin in the inhalable dust was approximately 154 EU/m3, and 9 EU/m3 in the respirable dust. Plasma IgG4 level, a humoral indicator for allergic propensity, was higher in the milk cow farmers tan the control. Ratio (interferon - γ vs interleukin-4 or intrleukin-13), indicating immunologic skewedness against allergic reactivities, was lower at the milk cow workers compared with those of control subjects. Even though sufficient number of bovine husbandry workers and farms were not investigated, this study suggests in general that immunological function of milk cow farm workers exposed to high level of endotoxin could be modulated toward allergic reactivities.