Impaired In-Vitro Lymphocyte Responses in Patients with Elevated Pentachlorophenol (PCP) Blood Levels

The results indicate that increased levels of pentachlorophenol in blood can lead to severe T lymphocyte dysfunction, and in-vitro responses to mitogenic and allogeneic stimulation were impaired.

Abstract

Immune parameters were examined in 188 patients who were exposed for more than 6 mo to pentachlorophenol-containing pesticides. Blood levels of pentachlorophenol, lymphocyte subpopulations, in-vitro responses to mitogenic and allogeneic stimulation, plasma neopterin levels, and plasma cytokine and cytokine receptor levels were determined. Impaired in-vitro lymphocyte stimulation responses were impaired in 65% of the patients. The likelihood of impaired lymphocyte stimulation increased significantly with levels of pentachlorophenol that exceeded 10 microliters/l (p 15 nmol/l. These results indicate that increased levels of pentachlorophenol in blood can lead to severe T lymphocyte dysfunction.