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A Silicosis Mouse Model Established by Repeated Inhalation of Crystalline Silica Dust
Published on: January 6, 2023
Serum autoantibodies in silicosis and non-silicosis cement workers
Safia Beshir1, Weam A Shaheen, Safaa Elserougy
1Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
Aim:
To study serum autoantibodies and immunoglobulin levels in cement workers.
Methods:
Blood samples for numerous antibodies were collected from 30 silicosis and 42 non-silicosis cement workers. Spirometry of the silicosis workers was also studied.
Results:
Serum IgA mean level showed a significant increase in the silicosis group compared to the non-silicosis group. Elevated titers of serum anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMA) and anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) were detected only in the silicosis group. The duration of exposure showed a significant positive correlation with serum IgA, ASMA and anti-GBM, and a significant negative correlation with serum IgG. Serum anti-GBM showed a significant positive correlation with IgG while the inverse titer (1/titer) of anti-GBM showed highly significant positive correlations with serum IgA and ASMA. The percent predicted FVC was the ventilatory function most closely associated with immunological parameters in silicosis group.
Conclusion:
Serum IgA, ASMA, and anti-GBM are the principal immunologic parameters associated with silicosis.
