Search for biomarkers of asbestos exposure and asbestos-induced cancers in investigations of the immunological effects of asbestos

• Main Authors: Hidenori Matsuzaki (Author), Naoko Kumagai-Takei (Author), Suni Lee (Author), Megumi Maeda (Author), Nagisa Sada (Author), Tamayo Hatayama (Author), Shoko Yamamoto (Author), Miho Ikeda (Author), Kei Yoshitome (Author), Yu Min (Author), Yasumitsu Nishimura (Author), Takemi Otsuki (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Komiyama Printing Co. Ltd, 2017-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Abstract The immunological effects of asbestos exposure on various lymphocytes such as the regulatory T cell (Treg), responder CD4+ T helper cell (Tresp), CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), and natural killer (NK) cells were investigated. Results show that asbestos exposure impairs antitumor immunity through enhancement of regulatory T cell function and volume, reduction of CXCR3 chemokine receptor in responder CD4+ T helper cells, and impairment of the killing activities of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and NK cells. These findings were used to explore biological markers associated with asbestos exposure and asbestos-induced cancers and suggested the usefulness of serum/plasma IL-10 and TGF-β, surface CXCR3 expression in Tresp, the secreting potential of IFN-γ in Tresp, intracellular perforin level in CTL, and surface expression NKp46 in NK cells. Although other unexplored cytokines in serum/plasma and molecules in these immunological cells, including Th17, should be investigated by experimental procedures in addition to a comprehensive analysis of screening methods, biomarkers based on immunological alterations may be helpful in clinical situations to screen the high-risk population exposed to asbestos and susceptible to asbestos-related cancers such as mesothelioma.

Item Description

10.1186/s12199-017-0661-4
1342-078X
1347-4715