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研究目的（著者による）
The effects of an occupational exposure of electric utility workers to a 60 Hz magnetic field on the immune system should be investigated.
詳細情報
60 male workers with employment in electric power generation (n=12), distribution (n=31) or utility maintenance and administration (n=17) of an electric utility participated in the study. Regardless of their employment, the subjects were divided into 4 groups (quartiles, n=15 each) according to the mean values of their personal magnetic field exposure: groups 1, 2, 3 and 4. 4 sampling trials were conducted during 1 year. In each trial, after a non-work baseline day and the following 3 working days, overnight urine samples were collected (days 0, 1, 2, and 3), respectively. This procedure was repeated quarterly over the year. Additionally, subjects provided a blood sample at the end of day 3 during their third quarter of participation. Melatonin was investigated because of its immunostimulating effect.
影響評価項目
免疫系への影響: effects on white blood cells and melatonin level
during the workdays of each sampling trial, subjects wore exposimeters at the waist during waking hours and placed bedside adjacent to the waist during sleeping to measure exposure and ambient light
Additional information
(remark EMF-Portal: no information is given on exposure levels for the employment groups or on the subjects' actual exposure durations)
細胞生存力／細胞分裂/増殖: proliferation of white blood cells (ornithine decarboxylase enzyme activity; incubation of cells on radioactively labeled enzyme substrate with an without lectin, scintillation counting)
免疫系への影響: cell viability and total and differential count of white blood cells (number of lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils and T cell subsets (T lymphocytes, T helper cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, B cells and NK cells); immunohistochemical stain, flow cytometry); NK cell activity (cell labelling with 51Cr and release after incubation, gamma radiation counter)
内分泌の変化: 6-hydroxymelatoninsulfate level in urine (radioimmunoassay)
questionnaire on factors with potential influence on the immune system (73 items including age, height, weight, race/ethnicity, health status, exposure to workplace chemicals, smoking behavior, alcohol and caffeine consumption, vitamin consumption, fruit and vegetable intake, exercise, the current use of "over-the-counter" cold remedies and anti-inflammatory medications, income and education)
The proliferation of white blood cells and NK cell numbers in the blood were significantly decreased among workers with the highest magnetic field exposure (group 4) compared to workers with the lowest MF exposure (group 1). These effects were most distinct in probands with a reduced melatonin level, who showed additionally significantly decreased B cell and monocyte numbers compared to the rest of the population (remark EMF-Portal: the reduced melatonin level was brought into relation with the magnetic field but this was not statistically secured). All other parameters did not show any significant associations with the magnetic field exposure. The authors conclude that an occupational exposure of electric utility workers to a 60 Hz magnetic field might have an effect on the immune system although consequences for health are unknown.
