The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationships of physical fitness, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) with lipid and glucose metabolism in premenopausal obese women aged 32 to 49 yrs (n=24) . WHR was significantly correlated with HDL-C, HDL₂-C and Apo B, but not correlated with BMI %fat, maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max), triglyceride (TG), very low density lipoprotein % fat, and Apo A 1. VO₂max/kg was significantly associated with BMI, TG, HDL-C, HDL₂-C, Apo Al, low density lipoprotein (LDL), SHBG, glucose metabolism at rest and during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) . The SHBG was strongly correlated with HDL-C, HDL₂-C and Apo A 1. In multiple regression analysis, it was observed that SHBG was one of the independ-ent predictor of HDL-C, HDL₂-C and Apo Al, that VO₂max was good predictor of LDL, Apo B and glucose metabolism at rest and during OGTT, and that BMI was one of the determinat of TG and VLDL. From these results, we concluded that lipid metabolism was independently associated with aerobic work capacity, SHBG, BMI as well as WHR, and that glucose metabolism was independently associated with aerobic work capacity.

This review is partly composed of the presentation "Cytokine alteration and speculated immunological pathophysiology in silicosis and asbestos-related diseases" delivered during the symposium "Biological effects of fibrous and particulate substances and related areas" organized by the Study Group of Fibrous and Particulate Studies of the Japanese Society of Hygiene and held at the 78th Annual Meeting in Kumamoto, Japan. In this review, we briefly introduce the results of recent immunological analysis using the plasma of silica and asbestos-exposed patients diagnosed with silicosis, pleural plaque, or malignant mesothelioma. Thereafter, experimental background and speculation concerning the immunological pathophysiology of silica and asbestos-exposed patients are discussed.

BACKGROUND: Asbestos fibers possess tumorigenicity and are thought to cause mesothelioma. We have previously reported that exposure to asbestos fibers causes a reduction in antitumor immunity. Asbestos exposure in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) showed suppressed induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), accompanied by a decrease in proliferation of CD8 METHODS: For MLR, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cultured with irradiated allogenic PBMCs upon exposure to chrysotile B asbestos at 5 μg/ml for 7 days. After 2 days of culture, IL-15 was added at 1 ng/ml. After 7 days of MLR, PBMCs were collected and analyzed for phenotypic and functional markers of CD8 RESULTS: IL-15 addition partially reversed the decrease in CD3 CONCLUSION These findings indicate that CTLs induced upon exposure to asbestos possess dysfunctional machinery that can be partly compensated by IL-15 supplementation, and that IL-15 is more effective in the recovery of proliferation and granzyme B levels from asbestos-induced suppression of CTL induction compared with IL-2.
Asbestos/adverse effects* ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism* ; Humans ; Interleukin-15/pharmacology* ; Lymphocyte Activation/immunology* ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/metabolism*

Asbestos exposure is known to cause malignant mesothelioma, which is associated with poor prognosis. We focused on and examined the effect of asbestos exposure on the differentiation and function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). CTLs have the ability to specifically attack tumor cells after being differentiated from naïve CD8 T cells following antigen stimulation. Exposure to chrysotile B asbestos suppressed the differentiation of CTLs during the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and was associated with a decrease in proliferation of CD8 T cells. Additionally, in an effort to investigate the mechanism associated with suppressed CTL differentiation upon exposure to asbestos, we focused on IL-2, a cytokine involved in T cell proliferation. Our findings indicated that insufficient levels of IL-2 are not the main cause for the suppressed induction of CTLs by asbestos exposure, although they suggest potential improvement in the suppressed CTL function. Furthermore, the functional properties of peripheral blood CD8 lymphocytes from asbestos-exposed individuals with pleural plaque (PP) and patients with malignant mesothelioma (MM) were examined. MM patients showed lower perforin levels in CD8 lymphocytes following stimulation compared with PP-positive individuals. The production capacity of IFN-γ in the MM group tended to be lower compared with healthy volunteers or PP-positive individuals. In an effort to determine whether chronic and direct asbestos exposure affected the function of CD8 T cells, cultured human CD8 T cells were employed as an in vitro model and subjected to long-term exposure to chrysotile (CH) asbestos. This resulted in decreased levels of intracellular perforin and secreted IFN-γ. Those findings underlie the possibility that impaired CD8 lymphocyte function is caused by asbestos exposure, which fail to suppress the development of MM. Our studies therefore reveal novel effects of asbestos exposure on CTLs, which might contribute towards the development and implementation of an effective strategy for the prevention and cure of malignant mesothelioma.

OBJECTIVEThe changes in serum adipokines and cytokines related to oxidative stress were examined during 3 months 'Off to On' and 'On to Off' periods using negatively charged particle-dominant indoor air conditions (NCPDIAC).

METHODSSeven volunteers participated in the study, which included 'OFF to 3 months ON' periods (ON trials) for a total of 16 times, and 'ON to 3 months OFF' (OFF trials) periods for a total of 13 times.

RESULTSWith the exception of one case, serum amyloid A (SAA) levels decreased significantly during the ON trials.

CONCLUSIONConsidering that SAA is an acute phase reactive protein such as C reactive protein (CRP), this observed decrease might indicate the prevention of cardiovascular and atherosclerotic changes, since an increase in high-sensitive CRP is associated with the subsequent detection of these events.

Adult ; Air ; analysis ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; Environmental Monitoring ; Female ; Housing ; Humans ; Male ; Serum Amyloid A Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEThe custom-homebuilding company, Cosmic Garden Co. Ltd., located in Okayama City, Japan was established in 1997 and uses specific natural ore powder (SNOP) in wall materials and surveys customers in order to improve allergic symptoms.

METHODSTo investigate the biological effects of SNOP, patients with a pollen allergy were recruited to stay in a room surrounded by cloth containing SNOP (CCSNOP), and their symptoms and various biological parameters were compared with those of individuals staying in a room surrounded by control non-woven cloth (NWC). Each stay lasted 60 min. Before and immediately after the stay, a questionnaire regarding allergic symptoms, as well as POMS (Profile of Mood Status) and blood sampling, was performed. Post-stay minus pre-stay values were calculated and compared between CCSNOP and NWC groups.

RESULTSResults indicated that some symptoms, such as nasal obstruction and lacrimation, improved, and POMS evaluation showed that patients were calmer following a stay in CCSNOP. Relative eosinophils, non-specific Ig E, epidermal growth factor, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α increased following a stay in CCSNOP.

CONCLUSIONThis ore powder improved allergic symptoms, and long-term monitoring involving 1 to 2 months may be necessary to fully explore the biological and physical effects of SNOP on allergic patients.

Adult ; Chemokine CCL2 ; immunology ; Clothing ; Female ; Geologic Sediments ; chemistry ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; immunology ; Japan ; Male ; Pollen ; immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; immunology ; therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology