Abstract
Inflammatory processes, including respiratory symptoms, can be induced among workers in composting plants exposed to bioaerosols containing microorganisms and their compounds. We evaluated inflammatory processes in the lower respiratory tract via cellular and soluble mediator profiles in induced sputum (IS). IS samples of 140 current (35 % smokers) and 49 former compost workers (29 % smokers) as well as 29 white-collar workers (17 % smokers) were collected and analyzed for the cell count and composition, and for soluble biomarkers. Significant differences between current and former compost workers and white-collar workers were detected for total cell count (p = 0.0004), neutrophils (p = 0.0045), sCD14 (p = 0.008), and 8-isoprostane (p < 0.0001). IS of non-smoking former compost workers showed lower concentrations of IL-8, total protein, immunoreactive MMP-9 and sCD14, compared with non-smoking current compost workers. 10.1 % of the study population was suffering from chronic bronchitis with significant differences (p = 0.018) between former compost workers (24.5 %), current workers (5 %), and white-collar workers (10.3 %). Significantly lower IL-8 (p = 0.0002), neutrophils (p = 0.001), and MMP-9 (p = 0.0023) values were measured in healthy subjects compared with subjects with chronic bronchitis. In conclusion, changes in lower airways were detected by analysis of biomarkers in IS of current exposed and, to a lesser extent, in IS of former compost workers. These effects are especially pronounced in subjects with chronic bronchitis.
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Acknowledgements
The study was supported by the German Social Accident Insurance (project IPA-94), an institution for the public sector in North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf, and German Social Accident Insurance Institution for Transport and Traffic, Hamburg, Germany. A special gratitude is expressed to Hans-Dieter Neumann, Martin Buxtrup, Eckart Willer, and Christian Felten. We also gratefully acknowledge the support of the laboratory staff Gerda Borowitzki, Susanne Freundt, Ursula Meurer and Heike Stubel as well as the field staff Marita Kaßen, Nina Rosenkranz, and Anja Molkenthin for their skilful technical assistance. We would like to thank the compost workers for participating in the study and the compost plant management for their willingness and cooperation.
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The authors declare no conflicts of interest in relation to this article.
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Raulf, M., Hoffmeyer, F., van Kampen, V., Deckert, A., Brüning, T., Bünger, J. (2014). Cellular and Soluble Inflammatory Markers in Induced Sputum of Composting Plant Workers. In: Pokorski, M. (eds) Pulmonary Function. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology(), vol 858. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2014_108
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2014_108
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