[Serum selectin E level in lead-exposed workers]

Lead is recognised as a potential atherogenic factor. One of the earliest events in the development of atherosclerosis is monicyte attachment to the endothelial surface. This is followed by recruitment of monocytes into the subendothelial space and ingestion of modified LDL by these cells. In turn, modified LDL stimulates endothelial cells to induce expression of proinflammatory adhesion molecules, such as selectins, which further promote monocyte migration. It was observed that atherosclerotic vascular damage is associated with increased level of circulating selectin E. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the occupational exposure to lead on the serum selectin E level. The study involved 80 patients, including 37 workers of a copper foundry and 43 people not exposed to lead. The subjects were matched in pairs according to sex, age and cholesterol concentration in blood. There were 25 hipercholesterolemic pairs and 9 pairs with normal serum total cholesterol. People exposed to lead had higher (about 7 ng/ml) serum selectin E concentration than those not exposed. There was positive linear correlation between selectin E and triglycerides in the whole group (p < 0.01), and the strongest correlation was observed in the group of subjects not exposed to lead (aged 40-60, r = 0.74). In the context of the described hypertriglyceridemic action induced by lead, these results suggest that lead could potentially act as an atherogenic factor in the early, inflammatory stage of atherosclerosis.