[The effect of smoking on immunological parameters in silicosis]

The paper reports on the smoking influence on some immunologic parameters in a group of patients with micronodular silicosis. 3 groups of subjects were studied: I--group with micronodular silicosis, smokers with cigarette index 300; II--group with micronodular silicosis, nonsmokers; III--control group. The following immunologic parameters were determined: 1. Test of blastic transformation of LT at PHA and PHA+IL-1 TTB; 2. Inhibition of leukocyte migration--indirect test; 3. Phagocytosis test of sheep erythrocytes. The results obtained show, in the patients with silicosis, suppression of the ability of blastic transformation, of lymphokines release and non-efficient phagocytosis. Improvement of the lymphocyte function by adding IL-1 suggests a deficiency of this monokine in inducing modified immune response in these patients. Smoking depresses more obviously cellular mediated immune response, induced by silicosis.