In the blood of 15 patients with yusho or "polychlorinated biphenyl poisoning" that occurred in 1979 in Taiwan, was found polychlorinated dibenzofurans (14 of 15) and polychlorinated quaterphenyls (15 of 15), as well as polychlorinated biphenyls (15 of 15). The mean concentration ratio of these substances was approximately 1 : 160 : 500. Based on the following evidence, we propose that polychlorinated quaterphenyls were major pathogenic substances in the development of yusho: (1) Clinical manifestations and course of yusho patients are disproportionately severe and persistent for the observed blood levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, while patients who were occupationally exposed to pure polychlorinated biphenyls take characteristically mild and benign clinical course despite polychlorinated biphenyl levels often much higher than those noted in yusho patients; (2) Polychlorinated debenzofurans show a marked tendency to accumulate in the liver, which might explain frequent presence of jaundice and other abdominal symptoms in yusho, which are, again, not observed in those with occupational polychlorinated biphenyl poisoning; (3) Toxicity of polychlorinated dibenzofurans is a hundred to ten thousand times greater than that of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated quaterphenyls in animal experiments.

Benzofurans↗

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Postnatal transfer of PCBs from exposed mothers to their babies: influence of breast-feeding.

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in the blood of mothers who were occupationally exposed to PCBs in a capacitor manufacturing facility, and their children, were analyzed from 1975 to 1979. The factory terminated PCB use in 1972, and environmental PCBs were eliminated artificially. Despite this, blood PCB levels of the mothers were very high, i.e., 10-100 times higher than that of non-occupationally exposed persons. In a previous report, we discussed the relationship between breast-feeding and PCB levels in the blood. This relationship is confirmed further by the present investigation which continued during a 5-yr period. The PCB levels in blood of children were influenced greatly by the duration of breast-feeding, but showed little relationship to the PCB levels in maternal blood. The PCB exposure period of the mothers, time of birth, and age of the children were less clearly related to the PCB levels in the children. The PCB concentration in the children's blood decreased at a constant rate and was independent of their blood PCB levels. A similar result was noted for their mothers' PCB levels. A slight difference, however, was found in the rate of decrease of blood PCB levels between the mothers and children. The results of questionnaire research on the health conditions and the medical examinations for the children showed that frequency of complaints, e.g., red eye, fever, itchy skin, and carious teeth, related favorably to the duration of breast-feeding. Less severe findings, i.e., decay of nails, pigmentation, mottled enamel, carious teeth, which were typical symptoms in yusho patients, were observed in some children. They were not, however, diagnosed as having PCB poisoning inasmuch as medical treatments were unnecessary.

Breast Feeding↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Candida tropicalis vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis. A case report and discussion on the diagnosis and treatment.

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Candidiasis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Expression of the T cell receptor Vbeta repertoire in a human T cell resistant to asbestos-induced apoptosis and peripheral blood T cells from patients with silica and asbestos-related diseases.

To explore the effects of asbestos and silica on the human immune system, an experimental model of low-dose and long-term exposure was established using a human HTLV-1-immortalized polyclonal T cell line, MT-2 (MT-2Org). MT-2 cells were continuously exposed to asbestos at a concentration (10 microg/ml) which does not induce complete cell death during short-term exposure. After acquiring resistance to CB-induced apoptosis (designated MT-2Rst), an immunological comparison was made between the MT-2Org and MT-2Rst lines in terms of T cell receptor-Vbeta (TcR-Vbeta) expression. MT-2Rst cells showed excess expression of various TcR-Vbeta, although TcR-Vbeta-overpresenting cells were characterized as undergoing apoptosis due to first contact with CB. Patients with asbestos-related diseases (ARD), such as asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, were compared with silicosis (SIL) patients as a disease control and with healthy donors (HD). SIL and ARD not only differed in their causative materials, silica and asbestos as mineral silicates, but also in terms of complications; autoimmune disorders in SIL and tumors in ARD. ARD patients showed a restricted overpresentation of TcR-Vbeta without clonal expansion, whereas SIL patients revealed significant overpresentation of TcR-Vbeta 7.2. These experimental and clinical analyses indicate the superantigenic and dysregulation of autoimmunity-inducing effects of asbestos and silica, respectively.

Adult↗