Lead (Pb) exposure is known to cause T helper 1 (Th1) to T helper 2 (Th2) shift in the immune response. The mechanism responsible for these effects is unclear. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are known as the principal secretor of type 1 interferons (IFNs), which have a stimulatory effect on Th1 differentiation. However, no previous study has explored the effect of Pb on pDCs. Thus, the present study was conducted to explore the correlation between circulating pDC count, serum IFNα (pan) levels, and blood lead levels (BLLs) in children environmentally exposed to Pb. A total of 82 school-going children were recruited from government and private schools in Jodhpur. BLL, pDC percentages, and serum IFNα (pan) levels were estimated by atomic absorption spectrometry, flow cytometry, and ELISA, respectively, in 82 samples. The participants were divided as per BLL quartiles into 4 groups: (A) BLL < 3 μg/dL (n = 21), (B) BLL = 3–4.08 μg/dL (n = 20), (C) BLL = 4.08–6.17 μg/dL (n = 20), and (D) BLL > 6.17 μg/dL (n = 21). Only in category D, pDC percentages showed a significant positive correlation with BLL (Spearman’s R = 0.5). Therefore, this preliminary data suggests that BLL might modulate pDC levels in a dose-dependent manner.

已知铅 (Pb) 暴露会导致免疫反应中 T 辅助细胞 1 (Th1) 向 T 辅助细胞 2 (Th2) 转变。造成这些影响的机制尚不清楚。浆细胞样树突细胞 (pDC) 被称为 1 型干扰素 (IFN) 的主要分泌者，其对 Th1 分化具有刺激作用。然而，之前没有研究探讨 Pb 对 pDC 的影响。因此，本研究旨在探讨环境暴露于铅的儿童循环 pDC 计数、血清 IFNα (pan) 水平和血铅水平 (BLL) 之间的相关性。焦特布尔的公立和私立学校共招募了 82 名学童。BLL、pDC 百分比和血清 IFNα (pan) 水平分别通过原子吸收光谱法、流式细胞术和 ELISA 在 82 个样本中估计。n = 21)，(B) BLL = 3–4.08 μg/dL ( n = 20)，(C) BLL = 4.08–6.17 μg/dL ( n = 20)，(D) BLL > 6.17 μg/dL ( n = 21）。仅在 D 类中，pDC 百分比与 BLL 呈显着正相关（Spearman's R = 0.5）。因此，该初步数据表明 BLL 可能以剂量依赖性方式调节 pDC 水平。