摘要：Analysis of the expression of TcR Vβ repertoires in patients with silicosis.: Ayako UEKI, et al . Department of Hygiene, Kawasaki Medical School -Several environmental factors have been reported to induce autoimmune diseases, e. g. progressive systemic sclerosis in the patients with silicosis. In previous papers, we reported the superantigenicity of silicate to human lymphocytes in vitro. This study was intended to determine whether the modulation of TcR Vβ repertoires can be observed in peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with silicosis. Twenty-four patients with silicosis and 1 1 individuals who had no experience of exposure to silica dust donated periphral blood only after their informed consent was obtained. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were separated from 10 m/ of blood by the Ficoll-Hypaque density centrifugation method, stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated monoclonal antibody specific to the TcR Vβ repertoires, and analyzed flow cytometrically. The Vβ repertoires analyzed were Vβ 5.3+5.2, 5.2, 5.1, 6.7, 8, and 12. Some distinct Vβ repertoires, Vβ 5.2+5.3 and Vβ 5.3 were predominantly but not significantly expressed in the peripheral blood lymphocytes from the patients compared with the control group, and at the same time the repertoire Vβ 8 decreased in the patients, especially those with profusion rate (PR) 3. These results support the possibility that silicate acts as a superantigen in human beings as in the observations in vitro. ( J Occup Health 1996; 38: 67-70 )
